Signature Cheesecake

 

   Throughout the years there has always been a "Signature Cheesecake". Each one is my favorite for different reasons, this one is simply my "Go To", impress your eaters, "I worked so hard to get it to be this good", yeah right! Type. It's my Saturday breakfast special. Sometimes served as individual baby Cheesecakes, sometimes fruit topped, pudding topped and sometimes perfectly plain.

What You'll Need:
Makes One 9' Cheesecake.
Serves 6 Generously.

For Crust:

• 1 1/2 Cup Crushed Graham Crackers
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 3 1/2 Tbsp Softened Butter
• (OR... Just use a ready Graham Cracker Shell Crust that you can buy in many if not most supermarkets)

For Filling:

• 2 Cups Cream Cheese 
• 2/3 Cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Sour Cream 
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees F.

Crust: If you decided on making your crust, either crumb your crackers in your food processor, or crumb them by placing them in a big zip lock bag using your rolling pin. However you do it, just try to make sure they are as crumby as possible. Place the crumbs into your baking pan with Butter and Sugar. Combine and set your crumbs by flattening and covering the walls of your pan into a neat shell. Place Graham Cracker Shell into the refrigerator until your filling is ready. (We want our butter to chill in order to keep everything in place.) 

Filling: Using stand or hand mixer, were going to whip our Cream Cheese until nice and fluffy, about a minute. Add Sugar slowly while mixing on medium speed, one Egg at a time (30 seconds apart) while still mixing, now the Sour Cream and lastly the Vanilla. 

Pour your filling into baking pan, and into the oven for about 25 minutes. Depends on the oven, but the Cheesecake should look firm, even crack on the sides, but the center should still wobble when moved. Cool your Cheesecake on counter top until it reaches a nice room temperature, cover and place in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight before serving. 

IMAGINATION:

Top with anything you like. White Chocolate Ganache and Strawberries? Vanilla Cream Cheese Pudding? Fresh Fruit? Really.. Anything. Have Fun!