1/4 cup plus 2 tablspoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon toasted pecans (about 2 ounces) finely ground
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 250F. Rub 2 tablespoons butter over bottom and up sides of 10 inch diameter springform pan with 3 inch high sides. Add pecans, shaking and turning pan to coat bottom and sides. Mix cracker crumbs with remaining 1/2 cup butter in small bowl. Press into bottom of pan.

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until softened. Add sugar, eggs, yolks and vanilla and beat until smooth. Fold in sour cream. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until knife inserted 2 inches from center comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Turn off oven. Leave cheesecake in oven 20 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely. Refrigerate
overnight.

2.5 lbs of cream cheese at room temp
1 3/4 granulated sugar
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
1/4 reaspoon vanilla extract
5 eggs
2 additional egg yokes
1/4 cup whipping cream
9-inch springform pan lined generously with butter and patted
with graham cracker crumbs

Recipe Directions:

Heat oven to 500 degrees. Prepare springform pan. With and electric beater, mix the cheese, sugar, flour, orange and lemon zests and vanilla until smooth. Add the eggs and yokes, beating in one at a time, and finally the cream.

Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan and bake for 10 minutes or until the top of the cake turns golden brown. Reduce oven temperature to 200-225 and bake for one hour longer.

Remove cake from oven and cool on a rack until it reaches room temperature. Then release the sides of the pan. Do not remove the bottom of the pan. Place cake on a platter. Top with fruit or glaze, if desired, and serve.

Graham cracker crumbs
1 pound, 14 ounces cream cheese
7/8 cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch (mix with sugar)
1 extra large egg
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Lightly butter a 7 inch springform pan. Lightly cover the bottom with graham cracker crumbs.

Thoroughly cream together the remaining ingredients. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake on the middle shelf of a preheated 420-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. If the top turns golden brown before baking time is complete, gently place a sheet of foil across the top of the cheesecake and continue baking.

Remove immediately from the oven. Cool on a rack, then place it in refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

From The Food Maven

2 1/2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese (1 1/4 lb), softened
1 1/4 sticks (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for pan
1 1/2 cups sugar
8 large eggs, separated
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon orange-flower water
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup cornstarch

Recipe Directions
Preheat oven to 350*F.

Butter bottom and side of springform pan. Line bottom with round of parchment and butter round. Butter 1 side of parchment strip and fit unbuttered side of strip against buttered side of pan. (Strip will extend 2 inches above rim of pan.)

Beat together cream cheese, butter, 3/4 cup sugar, egg yolks, zest, juice, vanilla, orange-flower water, and almond extract in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes in a standing mixer or 3 minutes with a handheld. Add cornstarch and mix at low speed until just combined.

Beat egg whites in another large bowl with cleaned beaters at medium speed until whites just hold soft peaks. Add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating, then increase speed to high and continue beating until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks, about 2 minutes in standing mixer or 3 minutes with handheld.

Fold one fourth of whites into cream cheese mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.

Line outside of springform pan with foil (covering bottom and about 1 inch up side) to waterproof. Pour batter into pan and gently smooth top. Bake in a hot water bath in middle of oven until top is golden but cake trembles slightly when pan is shaken gently, 55 to 65 minutes. (Cheesecake will rise in oven, but then will fall slightly and set as it cools.) Transfer springform pan to a rack to cool completely, then chill, loosely covered, at least 8 hours.

Filling:
4 (8-ounce) packages regular cream cheese, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 extra-large large eggs
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Sponge Layer:
1/2 cup cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 extra-large eggs, separated
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 drops pure lemon extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Recipe Directions
Make sponge layer:
Preheat the oven to 350*F (180*C) and generously butter a 9-inch springform pan. Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
Beat the egg yolks together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed for 3 minutes. Then, with the mixer still running, gradually add the 1/3 cup of the sugar and continue beating until thick light-yellow ribbons form in the bowl, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand until no more white flecks appear. Then blend in the butter.
In a clean bowl, using clean dry beaters, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on high speed until frothy. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites should stand up in stiff peaks but not be dry). Stir about 1/3 cup of the whites into the batter, then gently fold in the remaining whites — don’t worry if a few white specks remain.
Gently spoon the batter into the pan. Bake the cake just until the center of the cake springs back when lightly touched, only about 10 minutes (watch carefully). Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack while you continue making the cheesecake filling. Do not remove the cake from the pan.

Make cheesecake:
While the cake cools, make the cream cheese filling: Place one 8-ounce package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Then beat in the remaining 3 packages of cream cheese.

Increase the mixer speed to high and beat in the remaining 1 1/3 cups of the sugar, then beat in the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating the batter well after adding each one. Blend in the heavy cream. At this point mix the filling only until completely blended (just like they do at Junior’s). Be careful not to over mix the batter.

Gently spoon the cheese filling on top of the baked sponge cake layer. Place the springform pan in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1-inch up the sides of the pan. Bake the cheesecake until the center barely jiggles when you shake the pan, about 1 hour.

Cool the cake on a wire rack for 1 hour. Then cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it’s completely cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove the sides of the springform pan. Slide the cake off the bottom of the pan onto a serving plate. Or if you wish, simply leave the cake on the removable bottom of the pan and place it on a serving plate. If any cake is left over, cover it with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

1 (9 inch) prepared shortbread pie crust
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup Sour Cream

Recipe Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream together cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, blending well. Add vanilla and AE Sour Cream. Pour into shortbread crust.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until top is lightly browned and cracked. Let cool on counter, then place in refrigerator. Serve chilled.

Makes 1 9-inch pie.

Crust:
2 cups finely ground graham crackers (about 30 squares)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
1 pound cream cheese, 2 (8-ounce) blocks, softened
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 pint sour cream
1 lemon, zested
1 dash vanilla extract

Recipe Directions
For the Crust:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, combine the ingredients with a fork until evenly moistened. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour the crumbs into the pan and, using the bottom of a measuring cup or the smooth bottom of a glass, press the crumbs down into the base and 1-inch up the sides. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.

For the Filling:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed for 1 minute until smooth and free of any lumps. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Gradually add sugar and beat until creamy, for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. The batter should be well-mixed but not overbeaten. Pour the filling into the crust-lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle (it will firm up after chilling), so be careful not to overcook. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours. Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the inside rim. Unmold and transfer to a cake plate.

Cheesecake Base:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 cup all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

Cheesecake Batter:
1 pound cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Recipe Directions
Special equipment: 1 (3-inch deep) 9-inch springform pan; a 10 by 15-inch jellyroll pan

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom of the springform pan and line with parchment or waxed paper. Set aside.

To make the base: Beat together the butter and sugar by hand until light and fluffy. Beat in the yolk until smooth. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. With a rubber spatula, gently fold into the butter mixture. The mixture will be crumbly.

Place the dough in the pan and use your hands to pat it down evenly and firmly over the bottom. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and baked through. Transfer to a rack and reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

To make the batter: In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on the lowest speed just until smooth, no more than 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beater. Add the sugar in a stream, mixing for no more than 30 seconds. Stop and scrape again. Add 1 cup of sour cream and mix only until it is absorbed, no more than 30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining sour cream. Add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing only until each is absorbed; stop and scrape after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Wrap heavy-duty aluminum foil around the bottom of the springform pan so it comes at least 1 inch up the sides. Pour the batter into the pan. Place the pan in a jellyroll pan or roasting pan and pour warm water into the pan to a depth of 1/2-inch.

Bake the cheesecake for about 55 minutes, or until it is lightly colored and firm except for the very center. Remove from the oven and lift the cheesecake out of the hot water. Remove the foil and let cool completely on a rack. Wrap the cheesecake and chill overnight.

To unmold the cheesecake, run a knife or thin spatula around the inside of the pan pressing the knife against the pan, not the cake. Unbuckle the pan side and lift off. Leave the cake on the base, or run a spatula under the cake base and slide the cake onto a platter.