1) 0.5 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and divided
2) 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
3) 1.25 cups plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
4) 2 teaspoons salt, divided
5) 900g cream cheese, softened
6) 1 tablespoon cornstarch
7) 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and preserved
8) Zest of 1 lemon
9) 4 large eggs
10) 1 cup sour cream
11) 0.5 cups heavy whipping cream
Steps
1) Preheat oven 170ÂșC.
2) Cover 9-inch pan in olive oil.
3) In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, 1 tablespoon
sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt.
4) Add remaining 0.5 cup melted butter, stirring to combine.
5) Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Place pan on a rimmed
baking sheet and bake for 12min.
6) Remove from oven and let cool for 15min. Wrap bottom and sides of pan
with a double layer of foil to form a water-tight seal. Place pan in a
large roasting pan.
7) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat
cheese cream at medium speed until creamy, about 4min. Reduce mixer
speed to low.
Add cornstarch, remaining 1.25 cups of sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon
salt; beat until fluffy, 3-4min, stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
8) Beat in vanilla bean seeds and zest.
9) Increase mixer speed to medium. Add eggs, one at a time, beating
until combined after each addition. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add
sour cream and cream, beating just until combined.
10) Pour batter into prepared crust, smoothing top with an offset
spatula. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up
sides of springform pan, being careful not to splash any water onto
cheesecake. Carefully transfer to oven.
11) Bake for 1.5 hours. Turn oven off, and leave cheesecake in oven with
door cracked for 1 hour. Carefully remove roasting pan and cheesecake
from oven.
Lifting springform from roasting pan and carefully remove foil. Transfer
cheesecake to wire rack.
12) Run offset spatula around edges of cheesecake to loosen and prevent
excessive sticking, do not remove sprigform yet. Let stand until
cool, 1-2 hours. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at
least 5 hours or overnight before serving.