THE ULTIMATE CHEESECAKE 
1 c. flour, sifted
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg yolk
1/4 c. butter, softened

FILLING:

5 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 c. sugar
3 tbsp. flour
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
1/4 tsp. vanilla
5 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
1/4 c. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease inside of 9 inch springform pan (3 inches high). Remove side. Make crust: In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, lemon peel and vanilla. Make well in center; with fork, blend in yolk and butter. Mix with fingertips until smooth.

On bottom of pan, form 1/2 of dough into ball. Place waxed paper on top; roll pastry to edge of pan. Remove paper. Bake 6-8 minutes or until golden. Cool.

Meanwhile, divide rest of dough into 3 parts. On waxed paper, roll each part 2 1/4 inch wide and 9 inches long. Assemble springform pan with crust on bottom. Line inside of pan with pastry strips, overlapping ends. Remove wax paper. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Filling: In large mixer bowl, blend cheese, sugar, flour, peels and vanilla at high speed. Beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time; beat until smooth, occasionally scraping bowl with spatula. Beat in cream. Pour in pan. Bake 10 minutes. Lower oven to 250 degrees. Bake 1 hour longer, or until cream cheese is set. (You cannot really overbake this cheesecake.) Remove to rack to cool - 2 hours.

To serve: Loosen pastry from sides of pan. Remove side of springform pan, not the bottom. Garnish with cherries, strawberries, or your choice of toppings. Serves 16.

 

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