Growing up, my mom would say, “It’s not cheesecake if it doesn’t have cracks on the top.” And truly, I am all for the glory of imperfection in nature and in cooking (you’ll notice that my pancakes aren’t perfectly round, my breadsticks aren’t uniformly cut, and achieving a gorgeous burst of flavor surprise from an imperfectly torn, large piece of herb in a salad comes from not wanting to be too perfect). But, I want my cheese-cake smooth, rich, luscious, and crack-free. Sorry, Mom. This recipe calls for a water bath so that the center stays moist and the edges don’t brown and dry, which prevents cracks from forming. It’s old-school mom-mom Philadelphia-style cheesecake meets professional chef moves. P.S. If I had to choose a last supper, it would be Spaghetti and Clams (page 107), Jonathan Waxman’s roasted chicken (from his book Italian, My Way) and this Philadelphia-style (sorry, New York) cheesecake for dessert.
SERVES 8
16 graham crackers, 3 by 5 in [7.5 by 12 cm] each
1/8 tsp cinnamon
5 Tbsp [70 g] butter, melted
Two 8 oz [230 g] packages Philadelphia brand cream cheese, at room temperature
16 oz [455 g] sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup [200 g] sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon zest
4 eggs, at room temperature
Blueberry Agave Sauce (recipe follows), for serving
Preheat the oven to 275°F [135°C]. Use your hands to butter the bottom and sides of a 10 in [25 cm] springform pan. Wrap the outside of the pan, including the bottom, in a double layer of aluminum foil. Set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the graham crackers and cinnamon and process until very fine. Add the melted butter and pulse until it forms a fine crumb mixture. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and, at first, use your hands to press it down, creating a layer of crust that climbs up the sides of the pan. Once it is evenly spread, use the bottom of a measuring cup (or a juice glass) to press it down to make a firm base. Bake until deep brown and set, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely at room temperature.
Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cream cheese and sour cream and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest and continue beating until creamy and well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Stop and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Now, let’s talk: One at a time, crack an egg right into the mixture and, on medium speed, beat until the egg is fully incorporated, about 1 minute, before continuing with the next egg, repeating cracking and incorporating until you have added all of your eggs. Or, if you are a little nervous about getting eggshell in the mix, crack them, one at a time, into a small bowl, lightly beat, and add to the mixture, still making sure each egg is incorporated before continuing with the remaining eggs. Be you.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, giving the pan a tap or two on your countertop to release any air bubbles. Using an offset spatula, smooth out the top.
Fill a roasting pan 1 in [2.5 cm] deep with hot water. Place the springform pan in the roasting pan and bake until just set—it should have a little jiggle to it when you shake the pan, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before refrigerating for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight. To serve the next day, wrap the entire cheesecake tightly in plastic wrap and store in your refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Remove from the refrigerator just before serving with generous spoons of Blueberry Agave Sauce.
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP [240 ML]
