Vanilla Cheesecake

So, the hubs loves cheesecake and I decided to make a different kind of cheesecake than the one I always make, the no-bake cheesecake. I gotta tell you, this cheesecake it's really creamy, and soft, and vanilla flavored, and spongy. It's amazing. Actually, it'a  little bit short in height, so next time I'm maybe using an extra cream cheese or two (and of course, more eggs, sugar and cream).

Based on Amira's recipe, for the cheesecake I used:

• 4-8oz Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 regular-sized eggs
• 1 vanilla bean filling
• 6.4 oz sugar
• 6.4 oz cream (couldn't find sour)
• 6.4 oz vanilla crackers or cookies (I used Maravilla, you can use graham)
• 3.2 oz unsalted butter, melted
• non-stick butter spray, PAM

 

And for the crust I used: 

• 6.4 oz vanilla crackers or cookies (I used Maravilla, you can use graham)
• 3.2 oz unsalted butter, melted
• 1.2 oz sugar

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a spring-form pan with butter (or regular) PAM and set aside.

Place the vanilla/graham crackers in a food processor...

...and pulse until fine dust.

Melt butter in a mixing bowl.

Add crackers dust and sugar (1.2 oz).

Stir with a fork until well mixed...

...and transfer to the pan.

Press down and on the sides until more than half the pan is covered.

Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and let it cool completely. In the meanwhile, fit your electric mixer with the paddle attachment, and place the cream cheese in the bowl. 

Beat the cream cheese and start adding sugar until it becomes very smooth and has no lumps.

Make sure you scrape the bowl several times so you won't have any lumps, sugar balls, or anything like it. Add the cream and keep beating for another 20 seconds or so.

Start adding the eggs, one by one.

Make sure you keep beating in between each egg addition.

Finally, add the vanilla bean filling (or 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste) and beat for another 10-15 seconds until well mixed.

Transfer the cheesecake mixture to the cooled crust you just made.

Place the pan in a baking sheet.

Bake it for 1 hour (or 1:10 hour) until well set, but the center it's a little jiggly (it will finish setting out of the oven).

Run a spatula around the crust, making sure you press against the pan walls and not against the crust, so it won't stick to the walls but won't separate from the cheesecake. Let it cool for around 2 hours and place it in the fridge for about 4-5 hours or better yet, overnight (I did overnight).

Ok, it broke! It's ok, because it's my first cheesecake, at least of this kind... but this should never happen again.

TIP: Avoid over-beating the batter, as it incorporates additional air and tends to cause cracking on the surface of the cheesecake.

Ok, so just grab a piece...

and... enjoy!! Top it with fruit, jam, caramel, chocolate, whatever you like!