Junior's Original New York Cheesecake Recipe

Make the Sponge Cake Crust

1. Gather the ingredients. Heat the oven to 350 F.

2. Generously butter the bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan, preferably nonstick. Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending it all the way up the side.

3. In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. 

4. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the egg yolks on high for 3 minutes.

5. With the mixer running, slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and continue beating until thick, light yellow ribbons form in the bowl, about 5 minutes more.

6. Beat in the vanilla and lemon extracts.

7. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand, just until there are no remaining white flecks.

8. Blend in the melted butter.

9. In another clean bowl, using clean, dry beaters, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on high until frothy.

10. Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites will stand up and look glossy, not dry).

11. Fold about 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter and then fold in the rest. Don’t worry if you still see a few white specks, as they’ll disappear during baking.

12. Gently spread the batter over the bottom of the prepared pan and bake just until set and golden (not wet or sticky), about 10 minutes. Watch carefully and don’t let the top brown. To test the cake for doneness, touch the cake gently in the center; if it springs back, it’s done.

13. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. Leave the oven on while you prepare the batter for the cheesecake.

Make the Cheesecake Batter

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (if your mixer has one), beat 1 package of the softened cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch together on low speed until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times.

3. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, 1 package at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each block.

4. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining sugar, then add the vanilla and mix again.

5. Blend in the eggs, 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition.

6. Beat in the heavy whipping cream just until blended. The filling will look light, creamy, airy, and almost like billowy clouds. Be careful not to overmix.

7. Gently spoon the batter over the crust.

Bake the Cheesecake

1. Place the cake pan in a large shallow pan or baking dish. Make a water bath by adding enough hot water so it comes halfway up the side of the springform (about 1 inch).

2. Return to the oven and bake until the edge is light golden brown, the top is light gold, and the center barely jiggles, about 75 minutes. If the cake still feels soft around the edge, let it bake for 10 minutes more.

3. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer it to a wire rack, and let cool for 2 hours (don’t move it).

4. Leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cold, preferably overnight or for at least 6 hours.

Serve the Cheesecake

1. Release and remove the side of the springform, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan.

2. Place on a cake plate. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. To get the cleanest cuts, carefully slice the cake with a sharp straight-edge knife, not a serrated one, rinsing the knife with warm water between pieces.

4. Enjoy.

_{This recipe for Original New York Cheesecake is from "Junior's Home Cooking" (Taunton Press, 2013) by Alan Rosen and Beth Allen.}