Deluxe Cheesecake

By Craig Claiborne

Updated July 9, 2015

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
2 hours
Rating
5(1,838)
Comments
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Craig Claiborne brought this version of the classic dessert to The Times in September 1963, and it quickly became one of the paper's most requested recipes. It makes an excellent backdrop for almost any ripe and sweet fruit. Feel free to play around with flavorings like vanilla, and spices like cinnamon or crystallized ginger.

Featured in: Craig Claiborne’s Classic Cheesecake

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

FOR THE CRUST

  • 1 cup flour (120 grams)

  • ¼ teaspoon sugar

  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter (113 grams), chilled and cubed

  • 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla

FOR THE FILLING

  • 5 8-ounce packages room temperature cream cheese

  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

  • 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar (347 grams)

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 5 eggs

  • 2 egg yolks

  • ¼ cup heavy cream

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

66 grams carbs; 336 milligrams cholesterol; 912 calories; 18 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 39 grams saturated fat; 67 grams fat; 2 grams trans fat; 1 gram fiber; 563 milligrams sodium; 15 grams protein; 49 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the crust: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar and lemon zest. Cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly. Add the egg yolk and vanilla. Mix.

  2. Step 2

    Pat a third of the dough over the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with sides removed. Bake about 6 minutes, or until golden. Cool.

  3. Step 3

    Butter the sides of the pan and attach to the bottom. Pat remaining dough around the sides to a height of 2 inches.

  4. Step 4

    Increase the oven heat to 475 degrees.

  5. Step 5

    Prepare the filling: Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add vanilla and lemon zest.

  6. Step 6

    In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour and salt. Gradually blend into cheese mixture. Beat in eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, and the cream. Beat well.

  7. Step 7

    Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the oven heat to 200 degrees. Bake 1 hour longer, or until set. Turn off oven heat and allow cake to remain 30 minutes in the oven with the door ajar. Cool on a rack. Chill at least 3 hours before serving. Adorn with fruit if you'd like.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,838 user ratings
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Comments

trackhorse

I have a question: The recipe calls for 40 ounces of cream cheese. I assume the cream cheese is "Philadelphia" or similar little bricks. These commercial cheeses contain carrageenan or similar thickeners. We prefer to use locally-made cream cheese that contain no fillers— only milk and (guessing) a pinch of salt. Will using the better product affect the recipe?

Paulie

The recipe in the NYT cookbook specifies 1 1/2 hours of baking at 200 degrees, not 1 hour as in this recipe. Yesterday I printed the recipe off this website because I was baking the cake at someone else's house and it was easier than bringing my cookbook along. I baked the cake for an hour at 200 rather than an hour and a half. When I cut into the cooled cake the inside was runny like a soft custard. The baking time is a flaw in the online instructions, the recipe is the same otherwise.

Aviva Garrett

What memories! My mother started making this cheesecake in the late 1960s, and then I started helping her. We always laughed at the cracks in the final cake, calling them chasms, but could never figure out how to get rid of them. One way I've lately found to minimize or eliminate them is to beat for 1 minute just the cream cheese and then after each egg addition (using a timer!). Also, I have reduced the sugar to 1.5 cups. This cheesecake always gets fabulous reviews from eaters.

LS

The crust recipe is a bit frustrating. We used a small food processor to cut butter and other ingredients into the flour. It comes out very dry, like granular flour, and it’s difficult to press into shape. You then have to cook it for 6 minutes or so - we took the ring off the pan off and baked the bottom with the crust. The butter immediately started melting and dripping on to the bottom of the oven. Smoke everywhere. It was also difficult to get the dough to stick to the sides. Overall, it IS a delicious crust if you’re able to manage it, but next time I’m sticking with graham cracker crust.

MMS

This is my go to cheese cake recipe. I’ve made it 4 times. Delicious! I do find it takes 1 & 1/2 hour once the oven temp is turned down to 200 for the center to fully cook. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure it is 150. Huge hit with the family and office.

Amanda

I cooked at 200 for two full hours with the oven door closed and it came out perfectly, no cracks. If I had taken it out sooner it would have been too soft.

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