Nina’s Cheesecake
This was always a very popular cheesecake. It is less dense and creamier that a traditional New York Cheesecake. I remember her making three or four of them for family holidays. My nephews would eat as many as she would make.
She used the store-bought graham cracker crusts which come with a plastic lid. The lid allowed her to stack several on top of each other so she had plenty of refrigerator space. I can remember the stack of three at the back of the fridge.
I have done this with homemade crust and I have used the store-bought chocolate cookie crusts and it is always good. Recently they have come out with an oversize graham cracker crust. I have used this and just doubled the filling recipe.
If you don't have any experience with vanilla paste, this is a good recipe to try it. You can get it at most large supermarkets by the regular extracts. I really like a Mexican Vanilla Bean Paste that is made by Blue Cattle Truck. I like this in any recipe where the vanilla is central to the flavor. In something like this cheesecake that is white, you will see tiny black flecks in the batter. This is vanilla bean.
Yield: 1 cheesecake
Time: 1 hour, then chilling time
Ingredients
8 oz cream cheese
2 eggs
½ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla (you can substitute vanilla paste if you have it)
1 Graham Cracker Crust (Nina always used store bought)
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla (you can substitute vanilla paste if you have it)
Instructrions:
Put cream cheese onto the counter and bring it to room temperature – at least an hour (very important).
Beat cream cheese, then add eggs one at a time beating thoroughly after each. Do not add another egg until the first one is completely blended, and you have scraped down the sides of the bowl. Add the half cup of sugar and first vanilla, and beat again.
Spread evenly into the graham cracker crust.
Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees (or to an internal temperature of 145-150). When done, remove it to an area to cool for 15-20 minutes)
Mix the sour cream, 2 tablespoons of sugar and second vanilla. Spread this over the cooled cheesecake. Return it to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Once the cheesecake is cooled a little, put it in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly before serving.