Toni:
I forgot to add the Alluminum Foil is for anything that might leak out.
No need to place this one in a bath. I stopped doing that.

Windy Here !!! The power went out 3 times, while I was doing the Recipe.
Had to start over each time.
If you win on the Lottery I get half !
LOU

I have two recipes that I have used with great success..neither I use a bain marie...

Here's the NY style.

New York Style Cheesecake

.

This is my favorite cheesecake recipe. It's smooth and dense and perfect cheesecake in my opinion...

.

Crust

1 c graham cracker crumbs

3 T sugar

3 T butter or marg, melted

Filling

4 (8oz) pkgs. Cream cheese, softened

1 c sugar

3 T flour

1 T vanilla

4 eggs

1 c sour cream

Heat oven to 325 F. Crust: Mix crumbs, sugar, and butter; press into bottom of 9" springform pan. Bake 10 minutes. Filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing at low speed after each addition, just until blended. Blend in sour cream; pour over crust. Bake 1 hour and 5minutes to 1 hour ten minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight

.

and here's the "easy" one.

reamy Baked Cheesecake

.

This is my a super simple cheesecake. It is simple to prepare and is versitile. You can also bake this in a 9x13 for bars.

.

1 ¼ c graham cracker crumbs

¼ c sugar

1/3 cup melted butter

2 (8oz) pkgs. Cream cheese, softened

1 (14oz) can Sweetened Condensed Milk (fat free can be used)

3 eggs

¼ c lemon juice

Preheat oven to 300 F. Combine crumbs, sugar and butter. Press firmly on bottom of 9" springform pan. In large mixing bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add eggs and lemon juice; mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 50-55 minutes or until center is set. Cool. Chill

.

© 2001-2002 My Island Kitchen

Lou, I'm glad I checked this post. I saw pics of your cheesecake in Lpink's "Graham/Marshmallow.." post and was hoping to find your recipe.

I've been down w/ the flu for a couple days, drinking weak tea and dry toast. Your cheesecake is the first thing I saw that tells me my appetite is coming back!

The ice cream must be your secret ingredient. I've made many cheesecakes, but none that ever called for ice cream.

Looking forward to giving it a try......and Happy Birthday to your DD!

Amck: Thank You. Hope this finds you feeling better.

The Ice Cream is the secret ingredient
I didn't even know, until you mentioned it.

Should have put on the Strawberry Heart, for the Photo.
I might take it out of the freezer and do it.
I'll tell my DD you said Happy Birthday !

Terri :
I'll have to try , what you said about mixing and cracks.
I don't mind a small one. It keeps the Strawberry topping from sliding off. LOL
Lou

Terri:
I'm sorry, It was

Khandi
who said to Cream the Sugar and Cheese before adding the eggs
Lou

This is my lucky day. Hawk, I am honored you shared this recipe with me. I haven't been to this forum very often over the years, although I'm now wondering why. So many smart cooks. :)

Your cheesecake looks excellent Hawk.Your definitely hired! If I win the lottery, I'll share it with you for all the time you had to spend retyping. It was super windy here a few days ago too. Just about made me crazy blowing everything around on the deck, little whistles through the tiniest door cracks.

It doesn't seems so daunting to make a cheesecake when it's explained the way you have it here. I just hope AL whispers in my ears when its done. I don't see the crust in your picture, I'm guessing it's there. Not that it matters so much, it looks delish.

Terri, I'm going to use your (second) recipe for some mini cherry cheesecakes. Three bites of goodness. No fat for only three bites. ;)

My dh has a birthday on Valentines day too. 48 years this Sat! I don't drink much but I did fill a huge flask at a beer brewery and bought a couple of his favorite pizza's since it's suppose to snow this weekend. I'm thinking we will be ready for celebrating even if we stay home.

Thanks for EVERYONE'S helpful tips. I'm feeling pretty confident now. I'm printing right now and will highlighting what I should remember.

Khandi
who said to Cream the Sugar and Cheese before adding the eggs
Lou

Anna Olsen, Pastry Chef

And it works!

and I've never used a bain marie either. Just make sure that you don't overcook the cheesecake too.

Khandi:
I added that into the recipe.
( Cream the Sugar and Cheese )

Toni: Take note !!!
Thanks , Lou

Toni :
I did it!!!
Nothing fancy Just a Heart made with Strawberry Preserves.

The Arrow is a Straw w. red paper feathers and a Candle stuck in the end.

Tommorrow I'll put fresh Strawberries around the outside edge.

Lou, that looks great..

Toni, the thing I love about the second recipe..is that you can make it in any shape pan and it's still creamy and has the correct texture that a cheesecake should.

Terri :
Thank You , no biggy.
Tomorrow I'll take her out to Dinner, instead of eating my Food.
- - - - - - - -
Correct texture ?
I've learned thru the years, there is no correct texture
for a lot of things.

If the person eating " whatever ", loves it,
then it is the correct texture and taste, for that person.

That's goes for just about everything.

What I love and cook, ten others may not like at all. But
if 100 more tell me how great it is, I have a winner.

I learned that in my Pizzeria. I've had people who only loved thin Crust,
Change to the thicker Crust ( with the right Texture )

I tried to please the Majority.

If Politics was like this, it would be a winner also.

That's it I quit !!!!!

Terri:
I've had your second Recipe and I love it.
Do you deliver ?????
Lou

Lou, you are an original. What a sweet looking chzcake! Bet it tasted as good as it looks. yum.
Toni

I made this cheesecake for a neighbor last weekend, for Orthodox Easter. I therefore have no idea how it turned out, but I'm doubtful. First of all, my oven only goes to 500' so that was an issue. Then, it seemed to take FOREVER to cook. I finally gave it to them, with cracks in the top, when the knife came out only a little moist.

What are your opinions of this recipe? I have to make another tonight or tomorrow for my daughter's First Communion.

New York Cheesecake Gourmet : November 1999

We find that different generations have different ideas about what a typical New York cheesecake is. To us, a New York cheesecake is high, firm, and dense, with a slightly lemony flavor. The Lindy's cheesecake in our January 1991 issue, adapted here for a simpler crust, is all of that. It's also a cake that keeps for up to two weeks and lends itself easily to flavor variations.
Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings
Active Time: 45 min
Total Time: 10 hr
ingredients
1 1 crumb-crust recipe, made with finely ground graham crackers
5 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
5 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
preparation

Make crumb crust as directed in separate recipe. Preheat oven to 550°F.

Beat together cream cheese, sugar, flour, and zests with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs and yolks, 1 at a time, then vanilla, beating on low speed until each ingredient is incorporated and scraping down bowl between additions.

Put springform pan with crust in a shallow baking pan. Pour filling into crust (springform pan will be completely full) and bake in baking pan (to catch drips) in middle of oven 12 minutes, or until puffed. Reduce temperature to 200°F and continue baking until cake is mostly firm (center will still be slightly wobbly when pan is gently shaken), about 1 hour more.

Run a knife around top edge of cake to loosen and cool completely in springform pan on a rack. Chill cake, loosely covered, at least 6 hours. Remove side of pan and transfer cake to a plate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Cooks' note:
· Cheesecake keeps, covered and chilled, 2 weeks.

Run a knife around top edge of cake to loosen and cool completely in springform pan on a rack. Chill cake, loosely covered, at least 6 hours. Remove side of pan and transfer cake to a plate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Cooks' note:
· Cheesecake keeps, covered and chilled, 2 weeks.

Here's the New York cheese cake I use: But I often omit the lemon and orange and add vanilla instead. Very similar to yours but it uses a pastry crust.....and you only set the oven for 500 degrees...:)
Secret Lindy's-Style New York Cheesecake

Cookie Pastry Crust
1/4 lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 c. flour

Beat the butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl with electric mixer on
medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 mins.
Add the egg and flour and mix until a smooth dough is formed.
With your hands, shape it into a ball and flatten it into a disc.
Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it until it's firm.
Remove the sides from the springform pan and press one third of
the pastry evenly over the bottom.
Place on baking sheet and bake in 400F oven for 6 mins. or until golden.
Remove from the oven and cool.
Increase oven temperature to 500F.
Butter the sides of the springform pan and attach it to the bottom.
Press the remaining pastry about two thirds up the sides.

Filling
5 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
1 3/4 c. sugar
3 T. flour
2 t. lemon peel
1 1/2 t. orange peel
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. vanilla
5 eggs plus 2 egg yolks, room temperature
1/4 c. sour cream

Beat the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed
until smooth and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
Gradually add the sugar, flour, lemon and orange peel, salt and vanilla, beating constantly.
Add eggs and yolks one at a time, beating well after each egg.
Scrape the bowl one or two more times.
Add in the sour cream; the mixture will be thin.
Pour it into the pastry-lined springform pan.

Put it together

Place the pan on a baking sheet.
Bake it in the oven at 500F for 8 mins. or until the top is golden.
Reduce the oven temperature to 200F (don't open the oven!) and continue to bake it
for 1 hour or until the center jiggles slightly.
When finished cooking, shut off the open, prop the door open,
and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for about 3 or 4 hrs.
Once it's finished cooling, wrap it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it several hours or overnight.

Serve it up!

Remove the sides of the springform pan.
Now you can add whatever glaze, ganache, or other spread you desire over the top of the cheesecake.
Keep it refrigerated until serving time!
Secret Lindy's-Style New York Cheesecake

Cookie Pastry Crust
1/4 lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 c. flour

Beat the butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl with electric mixer on
medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 mins.
Add the egg and flour and mix until a smooth dough is formed.
With your hands, shape it into a ball and flatten it into a disc.
Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it until it's firm.
Remove the sides from the springform pan and press one third of
the pastry evenly over the bottom.
Place on baking sheet and bake in 400F oven for 6 mins. or until golden.
Remove from the oven and cool.
Increase oven temperature to 500F.
Butter the sides of the springform pan and attach it to the bottom.
Press the remaining pastry about two thirds up the sides.

Filling
5 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
1 3/4 c. sugar
3 T. flour
2 t. lemon peel
1 1/2 t. orange peel
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. vanilla
5 eggs plus 2 egg yolks, room temperature
1/4 c. sour cream

Beat the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed
until smooth and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
Gradually add the sugar, flour, lemon and orange peel, salt and vanilla, beating constantly.
Add eggs and yolks one at a time, beating well after each egg.
Scrape the bowl one or two more times.
Add in the sour cream; the mixture will be thin.
Pour it into the pastry-lined springform pan.

Put it together

Place the pan on a baking sheet.
Bake it in the oven at 500F for 8 mins. or until the top is golden.
Reduce the oven temperature to 200F (don't open the oven!) and continue to bake it
for 1 hour or until the center jiggles slightly.
When finished cooking, shut off the open, prop the door open,
and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for about 3 or 4 hrs.
Once it's finished cooling, wrap it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it several hours or overnight.

Serve it up!

Remove the sides of the springform pan.
Now you can add whatever glaze, ganache, or other spread you desire over the top of the cheesecake.
Keep it refrigerated until serving time!

Toni:
Did you ever make your CheeseCake ?????
Lou

Thank you, Linda! And LOU, I will be making your ricotta cheesecake soon. Just have too many people expecting NT Style this time.

proudmammato4:
You have my Ricotta Cheese Cake recipe ?????
My Daughter made one and brought it up Easter. I just finished the last morsel 2 days ago.
I thought you were talking about making the Fluffy CheeseCake.
Now I'm confused . I'm going to get a sip of Peach Brandy.
That'll straighten out the Cobwebs.
Lou

LOU, yes, I've cut and pasted that one! I just pulled this thread b/c the title was appropriate and I needed some help. I'm actually looking for a dense cheesecake this time around.

Linda, I've never ever had a pastry crust with cheesecake that I can recall. Do you think it's superior to a gingersnap or graham cracker crust?

Mama;
The Cheesecake my DD brought up Easter had a Pastry Crust.
She liked my 1/2 Graham and 1/2 Chocolate Graham mixeed better that her's.

I forget which Recipe you have . I may have upgraded it,
a little.

Wow Lou - those are gorgeous!!! And I love the vintage tablecloth in the first photo too!! I collect them :)

Cheesecake is one of my favorites - these recipes look great!

Lisa

The pastry crust is traditional in New York delis....and several of the offerings at The Cheesecake Factory use a pastry crust.
It's a pain in the patoot....but really adds a lot I think....I rarely do it . Only when I want very special, real, traditional new York style cheesecake. Most often I use a nut crust....hazel nuts or almonds mixed with a bit of sugar....ground fine in the Cuisinart....butter the pan thickly and pour in the nuts and turn the pan so all the butter hangs on to the nuts.
Quick and easy and pretty darned good.
Linda C

Well, I burned the damn thing, using your instructions (not that it's your fault, I should have watched it constantly but I was multi-tasking). The first time I used pastry bake, and it took forever and a day to cook. (That was when I needed the oven to go up to 550' and didn't have the capability.) This time I used regular bake, and it got so brown on the top. I tried to cover it with a sour cream topping, but it's not pretty :( Too expensive to trash and start over. I'm so depressed. These are the first two cheesecakes I've made since I got these ovens over 4 years ago. You definitely need to know your oven. Next time, I'm going to go with a low temp bake for the entire time, 325' or so. I've learned my lesson.

Mama Mia :
What the hell are you doing.???
Can you send the recipe, to me , thru Email ?

You maka mi pazzo !!!
Lou

Lou, the recipe was LindaC's (above) and essentially the same as I posted above that. I'll send it to you :(

Yes....you need to keep an eye on the cheese cake and lay piece of foil on top of the pan when the color gets perfectly browned.
Linda C

Mamma Mia: I don't need the NY Cheese Cake Recipe.
I thought you were going to make the Ricotta Cheesecake soon.
I may have changed that slightly.
Your Son , Lou

You all are cheesecake perfectionists. Maybe my go-to recipe doesn't stack up to those wonderful recipe's above, but it's pretty much full proof, fast and easy -- no crust. Just made it for guests last week and it's always been a hit.

16 oz. cream cheese (room temp)
3 eggs (I pull out all the white membrane with an egg shell)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp pure almond extract

Mix cream cheese, eggs and sugar until creamed; add almond; beat until smooth (really, really smooth).
Pour mixture into well-buttered 9" pie plate (if you haven't pulled out the egg membrane, pour batter through a strainer); bake 35 to 45 minutes at 325.
Remove from oven and let cool 20 minutes.

TOPPING:
1 cup sour cream
3 Tbs sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Beat together until sugar is dissolved (about 2 1/2 minutes). Pour and spread over cooled cheesecake and bake 10 minutes longer at 325.

I hope you try it and enjoy it.
Annie '71

Annie 1971:
Very Good. I'll have to buy some more Gold Stars, to pass around.
I'm not a Cheese Cake Perfectionist but I did work on mine for a good while,
to get it the way I wanted and remembered.

I hardly use Recipes.
Most of the things I Cook or Bake are more or less, are !!! Original.
I look at Recipes to get an " Idea " of what direction,
I want to go.
Never know how it will turn out.
Most of the time, things go right and the effort was worth
it in the end.

EG. An example is the " Six Pound, Surf and Turf Braciole '
I posted on the CF.
I don't think anyone on the CF has tried it but it was in our Local Newspaper here,
along with about 6 others recipes , one a month.

Do you have any Original Recipes of your own, that I can try ???
Always looking for something new.
Thanks, LOU

Lou: My husband's mother passed away Thursday, as did his aunt on the same day and another uncle is in serious declining health. We're off to help out for a while. Nothing original to share; most that I cook for don't care about my originality but seem to enjoy my efforts.
Annie '71

Well, despite the ugliness of the cake, it turned out delicious :) Forgive the poor cutting...

Annie 1971:
Sorry for the Family losses. If there was something I could do to help, I would.

Mama Mia !!!:
I'd dive right into that !!!!!
You didn't say but I 'm assuming it's the Cheese Cake.

I just swished some of the topping with my finger.
The piece that was ready to fall off.
Tastes pretty good.

You have me totally confused .
Is this the 3rd Cheese Cake ???

Lou

LOU! I'm not trying to confuse you, really. This is the one I burned on top. Apparently I was stressed for no reason. Because even though it didn't look the way I wanted it to, it tasted perfect! Thank you so much ;)

Mommie, can I have some ???
How far are you , from me.

I'm still confused !!!

Who wanted to make the Ricotta Cheese Cake ???

Don't worry about it,
I think Women were put on Earth to confuse men.

Then , by the time they reach the Pearly Gates they will be all " confused out "
and they won't bother God. Do you think he is Dumb !!!!!

LOU

If you are in Florida, then you are quite a ways from me. I'm in Maryland. And yes, I want to make the Ricotta cheesecake too :) You have figured me out.
Enjoy your day, LOU!
Nancy

Mamato4, it looks good to me! You can see that the texture of the cake is just right. I'm not used to that much sour cream on the top, but I like it. So, maybe you did overcook it a bit but you can tell by the texture that it didn't hurt it any. Yummm...

Psst.. I think Lou lives above Philly, near or in the Poconos. Sooooo, he might be on his way down there now. LOL ... make sure he doesn't bring any bears with him.

Yes: I'm in the Pocono's.

Don't worry about me coming down.
I'm going to invite everyone here, pretty soon.
I have a lot of bedrooms.
You can play with the Bears if you come up.
Lou

Thanks, Coco!
I originally thought Lou lived in NY or NJ, but then I saw recent pics of you (LOU) in a Hawaiian shirt and it seemed as if you were in FL :) Coco, I don't like to put the sour cream on the cheesecakes either, but it was to disguise the brown top :) We would love to visit you in the Poconos!
PM24

bbstx inspired me to make their recipe and I used LOU's tip of baking on a preheated stone instead of a Bain Marie

I also used a 10" pan and it was done in 45 minutes.

Didn't have any sour cream so made a ganache with chocolate and cream instead.

The thing that impressed me most, but I have no picture to prove it, is that this is the first cheesecake I've made that hasn't cracked

loves2:
Show off !!!!!
Save me some.

Wish I could. There were only crumbs left

loves2:
Sure !!!!!!!! , OK ! Now you will have to bake another .
You could try mine ! and I'll sacrifice myself again ,to test it, to be sure it is safe.
LOU

Lou, the ice cream in your recipe scares me although I am sure it is the magic ingredient to a perfect cheesecake ;-)

Have you ever made it with homemade ice cream? We hardly ever buy store bought. Too many chemicals, stabilizers and enhancers in there that members of my family just can't eat.

BUT... if you want to try this one, and it was good, the recipe was posted by bbstx in the amaretto cheesecake thread or if you ever come to Chicago, I'll be happy to bake you a cake (bribery)

Loves2:
If you make Home Made Ice Cream, then you know the ingredients.
What is in there that scares you ? Nothing Radioactive !

I just try different things like that, to see if anyone is paying attention.
Really, I fooled around with this for about 6 months.
getting bits of info here and there.

The Guy that owned the Bakery, that made this type of Cheesecake passed away.
His Son didn't make it the same but I got a couple bits of info from him.
Then with my own bits , I came up with my own.
Try it !!! You may even like it.

I didn't have any Cream Handy , so came the Ice Cream.
Everything worked so I left it at that !

We are fooling around with Home Made now.
A friend down the road has a KA attachment.
The Vanilla turned out better tasting than Breyers.

I told him, now try the Vanilla Flavor I brought back from Mexico.
He used Nestles Chocolate Powder for the Chocolate.
It tasted good but I think there might be a better Chocolate Flavoring.
What do you use ???
Any good tips , I should know ?

I have always bought Hersheys Ice Cream. but I think I'll
be making it from now on,
Since they are moving their Plants to Mexico.
LOU

Loves2 :
I forgot , I have tried the other Cheese Cake recipes.
Mostly like the NY Style and the Italian Easter Ricotta recipes.
My DD brought one up for Easter.

I just bought 2 Packages of Phila. Cream Cheese I have to make my Fluffy Cheese Cake for Friday.
The women want to have their Bible Study meeting here, for Old Times sake.
I'll go back to the NY CheeseCake next.
I'd love to come to Chicago though.
Can I tell them I went to Chicago for some Cheese Cake ?
Lou

Lou we're off on a tangent here but my absolute to go to recipe for chocolate ice cream is from Cafe Pasqual's in Santa Fe. The cookbook is by Katherine Kagel but the recipe below is from epicurious. It's so good I make it anually for a friend as his birthday gift - his request.

It's Mexican Chocolate Ice cream and it has pequins in it (YUMMMMM!!)

I have a Cuisinart Ice Cream maker so not sure how it would work with the KA

Here you go

* 9 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate
* 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 1 cup milk
* 6 large egg yolks
* 1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 2 tablespoons Kahlú
* 1/2 teaspoons crumbled pequín chilies* (wear rubber gloves)
* 1/2 cup blanched whole almonds, toasted, cooled, and chopped

* *available at some specialty stores

Preparation

In a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt 6 ounces of the bittersweet chocolate, chopped, and the unsweetened chocolate, stirring until the mixture is smooth, and remove the bowl from the heat. In a heavy saucepan combine the cream and the milk and bring the mixture just to a boil. In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks and the brown sugar, add the cream mixture in a stream, whisking, and pour the mixture back into the pan. Cook the custard over moderately low heat, stirring, until it registers 170°F. on a candy thermometer, strain it through a fine sieve set over another bowl, and whisk in the melted chocolate, the cinnamon, and the Kahlúa. Let the mixture cool completely and freeze it in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions, adding the remaining 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine, the crumbled chilies, and the almonds during the last few minutes of freezing time.

Let me know if you need pequins. I can put some in the mail for you, that is if you can mail hazardous material ;-)

I love Ghiardelli's bittersweet so always use that and Whole Foods has bulk unsweetened chocolate. It's made by one of the big companies but the name escapes me right now.

Where's bible study - I'm coming

Bible Study is at my House. Pocono's

I saved the Recipe. He just made some Chocolate.

Can I leave out the Pequins. I can't do hot.
That's probably the best part . Right !
Lou

You can leave out the pequins, not as good IMO, but I understand not doing heat. I use VERY little, just enough to make you think - what's that? Don't leave out the cinnamon though

loves2:
OK, I'll have to wait til my buddy brings the Ice Cream maker here.
Lou