The Perfect Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 5 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Remove rack in roaster oven. Pour 3 quarts hot tap water one at a time, into insert pan. Cover and preheat to 325°F. Generously butter bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over bottom of pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl at medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in lemon and vanilla. Pour into prepared springform pan.
3. Cover springform pan with aluminum foil. (This prevents condensation in roaster from dripping onto cake.) Place pan on rack and place in roaster oven.
4. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Carefully remove and cool on a cooling rack. Refrigerate to cool completely.

Serves: 12

Test Kitchen Tips:

• Let eggs warm to room temperature before adding to the batter. Eggs beat to a greater volume if they are between 65°F and 75°F when beaten. 
• Try using crushed vanilla wafers instead of graham cracker crumbs for the crust. Place vanilla wafers in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin until crumb consistency.