New York-Style Cheesecake
- Crust
- 10 graham crackers, full sheets, finely crushed (about 1 1/2 cups crumbs)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ⅜ cup butter, melted
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- Filling
- 4 packages cream cheese, 8 ounces each, softened
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
New York-Style Cheesecake
- Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan in two layers of heavy-duty foil so water can't seep in.
- Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs in a food processor, or in a sealed bag with a rolling pin.
- Stir the crumbs, sugar, melted butter and salt until it looks like wet sand, then press it firmly into the bottom of the pan with a flat-bottomed cup.
- Bake the crust until fragrant and set, then let it cool while you make the filling. Lower the oven to 325°F.
- Beat the cream cheese on low speed until completely smooth, scraping the bowl and beater twice.
New York-Style Cheesecake
- Add the sugar, flour and salt and beat on low until smooth, then mix in the sour cream, vanilla and lemon zest.
- Add the eggs one at a time on low speed, mixing only until each disappears. Too much beating adds air that makes the top crack.
- Pour the filling over the crust and set the springform in a roasting pan. Boil water in a kettle and pour it into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the springform.
- Bake until the edges are set and slightly puffed and the center 3 inches still jiggle like gelatin when you nudge the pan.
- Turn off the oven, prop the door open a crack and leave the cheesecake inside so it cools slowly.
- Lift it out of the water, remove the foil, run a thin knife around the edge and cool on a rack to room temperature.
New York-Style Cheesecake
- Cover and refrigerate until firm all the way through, at least 6 hours or overnight, before releasing the ring and slicing.