Recipe: New York-Style Cheesecake with Cookie Dough Crust (Martha Stewart)

NEW YORK-STYLE CHEESECAKE
"New Yorkers are convinced that "their" cheesecake is the best, and indeed, this dessert - said to have made its debut at a city delicatessen in the 1920s - is the picture of smooth, creamy perfection. While there's no single definition of New York-style, the term generally refers to a classic, unadorned cheesecake. This luxurious version features a cream cheese and sour cream filling over a homemade cookie-dough crust."



FOR THE CRUST:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Pinch of salt

FOR THE FILLING:
Unsalted butter, for pan
3 1/2 pounds (seven bars, 8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

TO MAKE THE CRUST:
With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup sugar until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla. Add 1 1/4 cups flour and salt; beat until mixture comes together but still crumbles.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to slightly more than 1/8-inch thick. Place the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan on top of dough; using a paring knife, cut out a round about 1/4-inch larger in diameter than the pan. Transfer dough to a baking sheet; freeze 15 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees F until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer crust to a wire rack to cool completely.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Set a kettle of water to a boil.

Replace bottom of springform pan, butter side, and insert bottom crust; set aside.

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

In a small bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups sugar and 1/2 cup flour. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add sugar mixture to cream cheese; beat until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until well incorporated after each and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in sour cream and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla.

Pour filling over crust. Wrap bottom and sides of springform pan in a double layer of foil; set springform pan in a large roasting pan.

Carefully pour boiling water into roasting pan to reach halfway up side of springform pan. Bake cheesecake until set, 45 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Continue to bake until cake is golden on top but still slightly wobbly in center, about 30 minutes more. Turn off oven; leave cake in oven with door slightly ajar 1 hour.

Remove from water bath; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely., then refrigerate, uncovered, at least 6 hours or up to overnight.

Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen before unmolding.

Makes 1 (10-inch) cheesecake, 8-10 servings
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Source: Martha Stewart's Cakes by Editors of Martha Stewart Living