New York Cheesecake

I honestly can't believe that 2012 is coming to an end. Wasn't it just Summer?

But as with anything, I'm ready for the possibility of new beginnings. I have to think that 2013 will offer some kind of surprises, let's just hope they're good.

What I miss the MOST about New Years Eve tho? Getting all dressed up in sparkly attire and drinking 1 too many glasses of champagne (OK, more like 5 too many). This year I'm making Mexican Pizzas, snuggling with my boys and gluing my eyes open in hopes I'll see midnight.

It's probably too late to make this Cheesecake for your party tonight but trust me, make it anyways. I had planned to make a strawberry sauce to top it, but half of the cheesecake was gone before I even pulled them out of the fridge (it's THAT good).

Happy New Year everyone! See you in 2013...

(Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen)


For the Crust:
15 Original flavored graham crackers, made into crumbs using your food processor
1 stick salted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar

 Cheesecake Filling:
5 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 Tablespoons flour
Zest of a small orange
Zest of a small lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 large eggs
2 large egg yolks

Preheat oven to 500 degrees and grease a 9-inch spring-form pan (a smaller spring-form is fine here if you are looking for a taller cheesecake).

In a large bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Stirring until the crumbs are moist. Press into the bottom and up the sides of your pan (I used a cup to help evenly press).

Place in your preheated oven for 2-3 minutes, just to set up. Set aside while you prepare the filling.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla until smooth. Make sure to scrape down the sides when needed. Add in the vanilla and mix to incorporate. Add in the eggs, one at a time and continue scraping down the sides. Then add in the egg yolks and mix until smooth.

Place the spring form pan on a large cookie sheet and pour the filling into the prepared crust. Bake in the 500 degree oven for 5-10 minutes, carefully watching so the top does not get too brown. As soon as it is lightly browned, lower the oven temp to 200 degrees and bake until the edges are set yet the middle is still slightly jiggly, this takes about an hour more.

Remove the pan from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack, remove the sides of the spring-form pan, cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and cool in the fridge until set, a minimum of 6 hours.

Serve plain or enjoy with a berry sauce.

I love the way the lemon and orange zest come through in the cheesecake!

Happy New Years Eve everyone... Get in those Midnight kisses! (The champagne masks the cheesecake breath) :)