New York-Style Cheesecake

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             FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Rick Burke for this one:

A tough old Badlands rancher once told his grandson that the secret to
long life was to sprinkle a little gunpowder on his oatmeal every
morning. The grandson did this religiously and he lived to be 93. When
he died he left 14 children, 28 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren,
and a 15-foot hole in the wall of the crematorium.

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             TODAY'S RECIPE
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Cheesecake lovers will tell you that the best cheesecakes are found in
New York City. At least this cheesecake lover will. Once again, we
Americans have our immigrant ancestors to thank for this All-American delight.

New York-Style Cheesecake

For the crust:
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) grated lemon zest
1 egg yolk
8 Tbs (120 ml) butter, softened
About 2 Tbs (30 ml) water

Mix the flour, sugar, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add the egg yolk
and butter and blend with a fork. Work the mixture, adding a few drops
of water at a time, until a dough is formed. Form into a ball, cover,
and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll one third of the dough on a floured
surface into a 9 inch (23 cm) round and ease it into the bottom of a
buttered 9 inch spring-form pan. This dough is fragile, so if it breaks
just patch it back together. Roll the remaining dough in pieces and fit
it against the sides of the pan, pressing the seams together as you go.

For the filling:
40 oz (1100 g) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) sugar
3 Tbs (45 ml) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 ml) grated lemon zest
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp (2 ml) vanilla extract
1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream

Beat the cheese, sugar, flour, and lemon zest in a large bowl until
smooth. Beat in the eggs and yolks, followed by the vanilla and cream.
Pour the cheese mixture into the crust and place on a baking sheet. Bake
in a preheated 550F (290C) oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven
temperature to 200F (90C) and bake 1 hour. Turn the oven off, open the
oven door, and allow the cheesecake to cool for 30 minutes. May be
served chilled or at room temperature.
Makes one 9-inch (23 cm) cake to serve 10 to 12.
Received on Tue Jun 30 18:09:37 2009