Friday, October 17, 2008

Championship Cheesecake


When you've made something over 130 times, like I have this cheesecake, you learn to do it the fastest way possible. Especially when you have to do it every week - often late at night after the kids have gone to bed. I love this recipe because the entire thing is done in the Cuisinart! So easy...and fast. Added bonus - only one bowl to clean at the end of it all!

I bake mine in a spring form pan. But it also works well in a 9 inch pie plate. I also put mine on a cookie sheet from the very start. This makes it easy to remove and return to the oven as you are filling it and topping it. (Twice I've had the whole thing open up and fall on my feet - so I've learned my lesson!)

This cheesecake is rich and creamy and can easily feed 10-12 people.

Ingredients
Crust
1 package graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 TBS butter, melted

Filling
2 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Topping
1 pint sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grind graham crackers into crumbs in the Cuisinart with the metal blade.
Add the sugar and cinnamon and blend together.
Add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture comes together. It will be slightly crumbly. Press mixture into the bottom and half way up the sides of a spring form pan.
Bake for 5 minutes.

While your crust is in the oven, wash the Cuisinart bowl and blade and reassemble.
Blend the 2 pkgs of cream cheese
Add the sugar 1/4 cup at a time, pulsing between each addition.
Add the eggs, one at a time, pulsing between each addition.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add vanilla and blend until well combined.

Pour filling mixture over hot crust and return to oven for 25-30 minutes.

Right before the filling is done baking, mix together the topping. I put the 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla right into the container of sour cream and stir. (No need to dirty another bowl!)

When the filling is done baking it will dome a little at the top and will NOT jiggle in the middle when you move the pan around.
Remove it from the oven and immediately (and gently!) top with sour cream mixture.
Return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes.

Let the whole thing cool on a cookie sheet for about 30 minutes before removing the outer ring of the spring form pan. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving. (But I think it comes out best if you can chill it overnight!)

ENJOY!

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