Cheesecake

Formula*: yields 2 - 8" cakes
2.5# Cream cheese, room temp
14 oz. Sugar
0.75 oz. Cornstarch
3.5 g. Lemon zest**, grated
0.25 oz. Vanilla extract
5 g. Salt (aprox. 1/2. tsp)
8 oz. Whole eggs
3 oz. Egg yolk***
4 oz. Heavy cream
2 oz. Milk
1/2 oz. Lemon Juice
6 oz. Graham cracker crumbs****
3 oz. Sugar
3 oz. Butter, melted

Tools: mixer, spring form pan (or cake pan lined with parchment paper), rubber spatula

*adapted from Gisslen, Professional Baking Ed. 5, pg. 528
**lemon zest will dry out if you do not combine it with something else.
***can combine with whole eggs
****adapted from Gisslen, Professional Baking Ed. 5, pg. 290


MOP: assembled
To make Graham cracker crust take crumbs, sugar, and melted butter and mix on low with paddle attachment until all the ingredients are fully combined and slightly moist. Press crumbs into the bottom of your springform pan. If you are using a cake pan make sure it is sprayed and that a parchment circle is sprayed on the bottom of the pan. Bake for 5 minutes in heated oven (temperature does not matter) or until the moisture in the crumbs has dried out and are hard. Set aside.

In mixer break down cream cheese with paddle attachment. Stop mixer to scrape down as necessary. You want the cream cheese to be soft and at a spreadable consistency. When softened add zest (and lemon juice) to cream cheese. Move mixer to slow speed and add in sugar. When sugar is incorporated increase to medium speed. Continue mixing to get out lumps. Stop mixer to scrape down bowl as necessary. Pour in eggs in stages. Mix until smooth. When mixture is smooth decrease to low speed and add cornstarch, milk, and cream.

If your mixture is still lumpy run it through a sieve. Pour into two pans. Can be baked in a water bath, but is not necessary. Water baths, for cheesecake, aides in browned tops and unbrowned sides.

Bake at 320°-325°F deck oven with settings 0-10-10 for 12-15 minutes, or until the center is not jiggling and the sides have separated slightly from the pan sides.

Cool the cake before refrigerating or freezing to set. Let set and chill before serving.