Cheesecake

CAKE FILLING:
1 1/2 lb Cream cheese 1/4 C Lemon juice
3/4 C Sugar 2 t Lemon rind, grated
3 Eggs 2 t Vanilla

TOPPING:
2 C Sour cream 1 t Vanilla
3 T Sugar

-GLAZE:-
1/2 C Sugar 1/3 C Lemon juice
1 1/2 t Cornstarch 1 Egg yolk, WELL BEATEN
1/4 t Salt 1 T Butter
3/4 C Water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine crust ingredients. Press crust on
bottom and sides of buttered 10-inch springform pan. Bake 5 minutes and
cool.

Beat cheese until soft. Add sugar and blend well. Add eggs, one at a
time, beating well after each. Mix in the lemon rind and the vanilla, and
add to the mixture. Pour into the pre-baked crust and bake 35 minutes.

Combine topping ingredients, spread on top of cheesecake, and return to
oven immediately. Bake 10-12 minutes and remove from oven.

Combine dry glaze ingredients; add liquid glaze ingredients. Cook over low
heat until thick. Add about 1 T of butter. Cool and spread this glaze on
the cake before the glaze thickens too much.

NOTES:

* Legendary cheesecake — This is from a dessert-chef friend of a
regular-chef friend and apparently won some award. I’ve had cheesecakes
that I think are more impressive (including one I can make), but I think
I’m something of a cheesecake connoisseur. If I want to blow people’s socks
off, this is the one I cook. I think that every time I’ve served it to a
new group, at least one person has said “That was the best cheesecake I’ve
ever had.”

* Some pointers: this is the traditional crust, but I often use a more
floury-baked-pie-crust-like one. It’s not too critical. The magic to
getting the texture perfect is in how you beat the cheese. I use a kitchen
aid, work slowly, scrape the bowl often, and ALWAYS USE ROOM TEMPERATURE
EVERYTHING. Using cold cream cheese guarantees lumps. Don’t beat too hard
before putting in the sugar, but make sure it’s even and fluffy before the
eggs go in. Then again, don’t over-beat. It takes practice.

* I’ve been known to make it with no sugar or vanilla in the topping, and
I think it’s more interesting. but the contrast between the layers may
confuse those accustomed to restaurant cheesecakes.

* The glaze is easy as glazes go, but treat it properly. In particular,
stir constantly until it’s thick, but don’t stir hard or you’ll break down
the starch.

: Difficulty: rather difficult (timing is critical.)
: Time: 1 hour.
: Precision: measure carefully.
:
: Rob Pike, research!rob
: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, NJ