Kara’s Signature Cheesecake (and LIVE Cheese-cake-along!)

It’s the cake recipe I’m known for amongst family and friends. The one that prompted family members to look for business building for rent so I could move in a make this recipe all of every day.

I’ve created flavor combination into the hundreds. I’ve day dreamed about the huge production lines like Eli’s and spreading this glorious treat far and wide.

It’s not sculpted, modeled, adorned with sugar flowers or wafer paper decor.

It’s cheesecake.

Soft and creamy atop a delicate crumb crust. Never a hint of gold atop, always perfectly pale. Made with two cheeses, a hint of lemon and the best quality Nielsen-Massey bourbon vanilla bean paste, you’ll never want another cheesecake again.

This recipe, adapted from some online musings over the years, has become my signature and the dessert that is expected when I attend gatherings.

And so I’m sharing it with you in the hopes that you will become the cheesecake master in your circle of life :

Are you ready for it? Here’s the recipe and how-to, but just below you’ll find my LIVE Facebook Cheese-Cake-Along where you can bake along with me in real time. Lots of tips, tricks, hints and mishaps included. As always.

Kara’s Signature Cheesecake

9″ round cake pan or springform (I prefer a cake pan) or 8″ x 3″ cake pan

you will also need a second pan that is large enough to hold your cake pan for a water bath

Crust:

• 1 package Nilla Wafers or Oreo Cookies (about 15 ounces, 430g)
• 3 Tbsp melted butter (salted or unsalted is fine)

Filling:

• 16 oz (454g) cream cheese - room temp
• 16 oz (454g) mascarpone cheese - room temp
• 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) granulated white sugar
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice (about half of one large lemon)
• 1 tsp bourbon vanilla bean paste or extract
• 4 large eggs - room temp

Instructions - Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F; begin to simmer at least 6 cups of water in a pan on your stove top
2. In a food processor, pulse and crush your cookies till they look like sand. Alternately you can crush them in a Ziplock bag with a rolling pin. Drizzle in the melted butter a pulse (or mix with a fork in a bowl) the crumbs till the clump together when squeezed
3. Spread around the bottom of your pan and lightly pat down
4. Bake for 10 minutes to set; allow to cool at room temperature. Reduce oven temperature to 325*F

Instructions - Filling:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer blend both cheeses and sugar till smooth and even, scraping down the sides a couple times; there should be no lumps
2. Add the vanilla bean paste and lemon juice; blend till combined
3. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between each addition
4. Pour the filling mixture over your crust keeping the edges of your pan clean.
5. Tap firmly on a counter top to release any trapped bubbles
6. Place the larger water bath pan in the oven empty, place your cheesecake pan in the corner of the larger pan, pour your simmering water into the larger pan carefully - don’t get water inside your cheesecake pan
7. close the door and set your timer for 1 hour
8. Test you cake for jiggling after 60 minutes - it should jiggle like Jello, not slosh like a liquid. Watch the third video down to see what a “Jiggly” cheesecake looks like.
9. Allow cake to rest at room temp until just warm the place in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 8 hours to set.

Cheesecake-a-long: Part 1

Cheesecake-a-long: Part 2

Cheesecake-a-long: Part 3

Cheesecake-a-long: Part 4 - De-Panning