New York Cheesecake

• Prep Time: 30mins
• Cook Time: 1hr 40min
• Cooling Time: +8hrs
• Total Time: 10hrs

Ingredients

• 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 170ºC.
• 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.