Cheesecake Magnifique A La Broussard

This is another winner. This cheese cake is so good you will not believe
it. Anyone who knows the least bit about cooking and can read can make it.
I have won all sorts of contests with it, one being the local newspapers
recognition as “best cheesecake of the year.” This recipe is another that
was given to me by a good friend. She asked originally that I not give it
to a soul; however, she does know I am using it in this book because it is
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!

Leave cream cheese out of refrigerator for a couple of hours prior to
starting cake. Turn oven on to preheat to 350 degrees. Lightly oil inside
of “angel food cake” springform pan. Pour 1 cup of crumbs into oiled pan
and roll around and around allowing the crumbs to adhere to sides, bottom,
and center tube of pan. Keep left over crumbs to use later. If you want a
“crust” for the cheesecake, check out “Crust for Cheesecake – see Index.)
Blend the cream cheese and the first 3/4 cup of sugar well in mixer, adding
the sugar a little at a time. Add eggs one at a time and continue mixing.
Combine 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Gently pour cheesecake batter into
springform pan on top of crumb coating or onto prepared crust if you are
using a “crust.” Spoon remaining crumbs into a tea strainer and tap the
strainer gently as you move it around and over the top of cake. Do this
sufficiently to seal the cake and form about a 1/4-inch crust. Be sure to
cover evenly and to distribute to outside and center edges. If you need
more crumbs, make them and continue. The crumbs will necessarily fall to
outside of pan edge and through center tube. You might want to do all this
on top of paper towels to aid in clean up. Bake in preheated, 350-degree
oven for 30 minutes. NO MORE. NO LESS. The top of cake will probably “crack
open.” Disregard. Cool for 30 minutes. Blend the second 3/4 cup of sugar
with the sour cream and
1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well. Carefully pour onto top of cake,
trying not to dislodge crumb crust too much. You can spoon it on if you
prefer. Level with back of spoon or spatula if necessary. Bake in
preheated, 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes to “set” the sour cream
topping. Let come to room temperature. Chill at least 4 hours before
slicing. This is a creamy, moist cheesecake, not a typically “dry” one. It
freezes well. I prefer to slice, quick freeze individual pieces, wrap
frozen pieces in plastic-wrap and return to freezer to use as many pieces
as needed, when needed. Plan no more than 30 minutes for defrosting prior
to serving.

TIP: I use my food processor to uniformly crumb the graham crackers of
vanilla wafers.