The Complete Package Cooks: My all-time favorite cheesecake
For the crust, you’ll use:
one sleeve (approx. 5 ounces) of graham crackers
4 tablespoons of butter, melted
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs; add the butter and nuts. Stir to combine and press into the bottom of a 10″ springform pan. Bake at 400F for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Turn your oven up to 475F for the cheesecake.
For the filling, you’ll need:
5 packages of cream cheese (8 ozs. each), softened
1 3/4 cups of granulated sugar
3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
8 eggs, divided – 5 whole eggs & 3 yolks
the zest of 2 lemons
the zest of 1 orange
1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of almond extract
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Slowly beat in the sugar and mix until thoroughly combined. With the mixer at low speed, add the flour and salt, the whole eggs and yolks, the citrus zest, heavy cream and extracts. Beat at high speed for 4 to 5 minutes. Pour the filling into the springform pan and smooth out the top. Place the cheesecake in the oven on the center rack and bake at 475F for 12 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 300F and bake for 35-40 minutes, then turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for an additional 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove it from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. Once your cheesecake is completely cooled, you can move it to the refrigerator to chill. When you are ready to serve, remove the sides of your springform pan by running a sharp knife around the edge to loosen it and pop the ring clasp on the side of the pan.
If you’re serving this for company or a fancy dinner, you can move your cheesecake to a pretty cake plate. If you are a plain cheesecake person, dig in. If you like to dress yours up first you can top it with a good quality blueberry, cherry or strawberry topping. If you’re really twisted, you can cover the entire thing in melted chocolate and put it back in the fridge to form a hard chocolate shell. If you do that, please call me so I can come over. I’ll bring the coffee!
Inside NanaBread's Head 
I like cheesecake…
Which is exactly why we had TCP’s cheesecake this weekend!
I never did actually see you eat a piece, by the way.
And thanks for the “love pineapple.” I introduced him to the new baby today for inspiration.
Holy Mollie!!! Cardiologist is right!! And then I have to ask, “So when is he making this for Thanksmas???????” ;)
I don’t know if he will! You and Sister #3 have made some stellar cheesecakes the last few years. Why interrupt a good thing?
I say to the cardiologist… Keep you trap shut buddy, this kinda food is what’ll keep you in business. Besides, I didn’t see a “stick of butter” or a “pound of cream cheese” anywhere. Heck, this is practically light!!!
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You’re right. There’s not a pound of cream cheese anywhere…. it’s actually 2 1/2 pounds! Yikes!
Now see, that’s what you get for doing math… 5*8=40 40/16=2.5 lbs cream cheese. But I don’t really think it counts if you have to open 5 whole packages because you’re working off like half the calories while opening. And cream cheese is on the Atkin’s Diet, as it bacon, so those are both healthy… right? In summary, don’t do math!
Amen, sister! When it comes to cheesecake, math should not be part of the equation. That way we can’t count fat and calories. You make a good point about Atkins. If bacon is okay, surely cream cheese is acceptable. Guess that means cream cheese-stuffed jalapenos wrapped in bacon are okay, too. Right? Man, I love that logic.
About the husband. I have one. He cooks. He doesn’t do dishes. He has never made cheesecake. It makes me wonder if doing dishes and making cheesecake are somehow related.
That’s hysterical, Margie! I never put those 2 things together. Maybe you’re on to something. All I know is we don’t call him “The Complete Package” for nothing!
Oh, how fun! Marcus is great at chopping and flipping things on the grill, but that’s really it.
p.s. Thanks for the tip about the chocolate topping – I never would have thought of that, but it sounds like an absolutely lovely twist :)
Hubby says that TCP is making him look bad. He was hanging tough with him up to that point. Although, Hubby makes a mean chocolate cake.
I make a nearly identical recipe. I think people with cardiologists should probably avoid cheesecakes, anyway. ;)
TCP says he likes chocolate cake. Maybe he and Hubby should form a “Real Men Who Bake” society. They could have a secret handshake and everything.
This is perfect timing. My husband’s birthday is Sunday and he LOVES cheesecake. Thanks for such detailed directions. And I’m so excited because I already have the springform pan that I never use. You da best!! :)
Awesome! That was perfect timing. I hope he likes it as much as we do. Let me know how it turns out, Sandi!
The whole party RAVED about how great the cheesecake was!!! Thanks again so much!!! :)
Sandi, that’s great! TCP is going to be so happy you and your guests enjoyed his cheesecake recipe. Thanks a million for letting us know how it turned out!