Published in the September 2021 Edition of ‘In The Loop Magazine
The recipe was given to me by my sister Rita years ago. It's seriously the best! Always a hit and loved by everyone. It is sweet, creamy & velvety texture with a touch of tart from the sour cream & lemon.
I added the lemon & zest ❤️to the recipe
Preheat oven 350degree
Ingredients: Graham Crust:
2 cups graham crackers, fine to medium crushed up
6-8 TBSP unsalted Butter, melted
Direction:
Hand mix crushed graham crackers and butter together ( I line springform with parchment paper, this makes it easier to transfer finished cheese cake) take mixed graham crackers and press on bottom of 3 inch tall, 9x9 springform and press around the sides as far up as possible, keeping the graham crackers as even as possible. Place on a baking sheet and set aside.
Ingredients: Cheesecake
4- 8 oz cream cheese, use only the real kind, room temperature, Do Not use fat free or 2%
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 TBL sugar
2 tsp real vanilla extract
2 TBL fresh lemon juice
optional: Add lemon zest, finely zested
4 beaten Eggs, adding one at a time
Direction:
Mix cream cheese until smooth. add sugar until granules all incorporated to cream cheese and mix in remaining ingredients. Mix altogether well and completely smooth. This takes some time!
Pour into graham cracker crust prepared 9x9 springform.
Bake 55-75 minutes until set and doesn’t jiggle in the middle. (every one’s oven calibrated different why the big difference in time)
When cheesecake finished baking TURN OFF OVEN add sour cream topping (Recipe below), spread evenly on entire top and place back in oven for an additional 30 minutes.
Ingredients: Topping
2 Cups Real Sour cream, NO Fat free
1/4 granulated sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Direction: Mix together smooth, keep refrigerated until ready to add to top and bake 30 min more. Cool completely before cutting, Takes a few hours.Note: I have added plain greek yogurt to sour cream when I didn’t have enough.
