Oven Roasted Cheesecake

As promised, I tried my hand last week at making the “best ever cheesecake” and let me tell you, this is a recipe for those who are serious about their cheesecake! The recipe calls for a five hour baking cycle, and then it must sit in the refrigerator overnight. With that kind of cooking cycle, and a title like “Best Ever Cheesecake,” I knew the bar was set high. And with the additional pressure of wanting to make my step dad (the cheesecake connoisseur) proud, I knew I was in for quite a challenge! Thus far, despite my admission to being a novice cook who struggles in the kitchen, all of my recent endeavors have turned out relatively well and people are beginning to doubt that I struggle in the kitchen. No one can believe that I once ruined sugar cookies (I think I’m the only person in the world who can mess up a sugar cookie), or that I still follow a recipe when making macaroni and cheese (from a box.) Determined to do everything “right” this time, I followed the instructions with great care and I’m pretty sure I made everyone miserable in the process (the family eventually went outside so that I could be alone with my endeavors.) Following is the recipe for the “best ever cheesecake” with pictures, of course!

Ingredients:

1 Box Nabisco graham cracker crust mix – Make per package directions
3 packages Philly cream cheese – at room temperature
4 large eggs
1 ½ c. sugar
16 oz sour cream
½ pint heavy cream
2 Tbsp pure vanilla
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (place pan of water in oven on bottom rack.)
2. Make crust (press into 9” spring form pan)

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(Can those of you who cook tell me if this looks right? I never could get the crust to go all the way to the top of the pan, or to stop crumbling in the process. Any advice?)

3. Beat together eggs and cream cheese until smooth
4. Gradually add sugar and beat until smooth

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5. Add vanilla and lemon juice
6. Pour into spring form pan

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Can anyone guess what’s wrong with this picture (and no, I’m not talking about the fact that it’s lumpy!)

7. Bake 1 hour (do not open oven door!)
8. After one hour turn oven off and leave in oven for at least four hours (do not open oven door!)

Oooooh how I was tempted to open that door! But I restrained myself (and my family) and fully expected to see the most glorious sight ever when, five hours later, I took my first peek at the Best Ever Cheesecake…

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This is soooooooo not what I had in mind!

Did you know that you’re not supposed to fill the pan all the way to the top? What’s the deal? There was no baking soda in that cake! Not a hint of baking powder! It’s not like it had yeast in it! How was *I* supposed to know it would rise?! And then explode?! In an effort to salvage the mess, I moved on to the last step with the hope that even if it WAS ugly, it would still taste good!

9. Chill in refrigerator overnight

The next day, I took the cheesecake out of the pans and cut the tops off. Rather than try to accomplish this with a knife (which I think would have led to an even bigger disaster), I took a bit of string and tied it around the tops of my cake to cut the tops off (as you pull, it slices through the cheesecake and then you can just lift the top off.)

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And just so I don’t give you the wrong impression by making it seem as if I know some nifty cooking tip for salvaging burnt cheesecake, I learned that little trick in art class… it’s the way we cut through clay. Which is about what I expected my cheesecake to taste like. 😉

In all, I have to say it wasn’t bad. In my opinion, it tasted a little bit burnt but no one else seemed to think so. In the end, I wish I could have regaled you with my wonderful cooking experience and brag about making the Best Ever Cheesecake, but if you want to know whether it’s really the “best ever” you’ll need to make it yourself. Because, quite frankly, I wouldn’t know. 🙂

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Related Articles:

When Momma Goes A-cookin’

Chocolate Chip Peach Banana Pineapple Walnut Almond Flax Virtually-Sugar-Free Muffins

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A Little Leaven


This entry was posted in Cooking... not so much, Homemaking, PERSONAL, Recipes. Bookmark the permalink.

16 Responses to Oven Roasted Cheesecake

  1. Rachel says:

    Oh NO! That’s the worst. I was all prepared to type up a comment saying if you can do cheesecake, you can do ANYTHING! Cheesecake is tricky. Cooking, especially baking, is such a trial and error learning process. Unfortunately it can be an expensive one! Cheesecake is a good example of that!

    Good for you for trying, and…. Now you know! 🙂

    • Rina says:

      Mrs. C, thanks for your encouragement! I just had to show those pictures… it was too funny not to. 🙂
      LOL, Rachel, I’m not at all surprised that cheesecake is a “watermark” in cooking, given my failed experience! I REALLY AM going to master this cooking thing, someday, but I think I still have a lot of “baby steps” to achieve before I get there! 🙂

  2. Mrs. C. says:

    I think this is a beautiful cheesecake! (and no one would have known of it’s “ugliness” had you not shown the pictures!) You’re an expert in my eyes-I’ve only made the boxed kind and don’t plan on making your masterpiece! I’m exhausted just thinking about it!!

    ~Blessings!

  3. Ashley says:

    Oh my, what a great job you did salvaging that cake!! Good for you! I’m not much of a baker either. I go for the boxed mixes and follow all directions. And don’t worry, you’re not alone in the “Did I really ruin sugar cookies?” club. Sad to say but I’m a member too. 🙂

  4. Mrs. Parunak says:

    Actually, your finished product looked pretty good to me! I have never made a real cheese cake, so I’m plenty impressed.

  5. Lelir says:

    Wow, that cheesecake looked yummy in the end!
    Thanks for the recipe and for showing us all the passages and tricks to get a good result 😉

  6. Quinn says:

    Tammy’s Recipes has some fantastic instructions for making cheesecake. We love the Chocolate Vanilla Swirl one. They turn out nearly flawless! My only problem is sealing the bottom with foil so that it doesn’t leak in the waterbath. It makes for a moist crust that I don’t care for. Next time I’m going to try prebaking the crust a bit to combat that. But the cheescake part is great!

  7. katie says:

    The best cheesecake recipe, you set a very high bar that is probably way to hard to reach but it still looks very good and i would love to submit it on http://www.cheesecake-recipes.org/ and please do continue making great cheesecake recipes.

    • Rina says:

      Katie, the recipe isn’t mine so I don’t feel comfortable submitting it to a cooking website without permission. If I can track down the lady my step dad got it from, though, I’ll send it your way!
      Julie, thanks for the link!
      Erika, last time you were craving a cake you came up with an incredible recipe… can’t wait to see what you do with this one! 🙂

  8. Julie says:

    For the easiest and best tasting cheesecake EVER try this one: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/07/crockpot-cheesecake-recipe.html
    You make it in the crock pot! Seriously! And it’s oh so delish!
    ~Julie

  9. Erika says:

    Hey, even I have made bad sugar cookies! 😉 I think you did a fantastic job salvaging that cheesecake, and now you have me craving it! I think I wouldn’t have known to not fill the pan to the top either… lol, I can’t imagine opening up the oven after being so incredibly patient for five hours and seeing that mess.

  10. OMG I’m cracking up! Our cakes look like twins! At least you saved it! Again, cheesecakes are hard. If you want a good recipe, check out my friend Erin’s blog. http://www.erinsfoodfiles.com/2010/04/lincolns-red-velvet-cheesecake-cake.html
    You don’t have to bake the cheesecake for 5 hours 😉

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