The last cheesecake recipe you will ever need.

Cheesecake is just one of those things, isn't it? You either like it or don't. Usually, the cheesecake you get in restaurants is so heavy that you can barely manage one or two bites without feeling overcome with richness. I am not much of a dessert person (it's all about the salt, baby) but when I do eat dessert, I want something light that won't push me over the "bad full" edge. Readers, you know what I am talking about. You go out to eat. You are full after dinner but want dessert because they flaunt the dessert tray right under your nose. You are overtaken by the Jedi mind tricks of the server and BAM! now you are "bad full". Not just full, but unbutton you pants, wish you hadn't been born full. And really, who wants that?

Holy waaaaay off track, Batman. So as I was saying...

I have in my possession, the bestest cheesecake recipe in the universe. I got it from a co-worker about 1 million years ago in a galaxy far, far away. No, but really I used to work in this office and we would have these quarterly pot lucks in the department. One time my co worker brought this cheesecake and I had an out of body experience. She was kind enough to share the recipe which she got from this B&B she and her husband went to once. It is everything that the typical cheesecake is not: It's Light, it's silky and not, and I repeat not heavy!

I bet you could even eat two pieces and still not be "bad full".

I usually serve it with raspberry sauce which gives it a slightly sweet note to the cheesecakes tartness and it's a really good balance. This time, I just put a bunch of fresh strawberries in the food processor and added a bit of sugar. But it's very good just plain. I have been making this recipe for, *ahem* over 14 years and I swear by it.


Buckle your seat belts, you won't use another cheesecake recipe ever again.

(Excuse the crumbs all over the cheesecake in this picture....there were issues getting it onto the plate.)

Crust

2 packages graham crackers

4 tbl unsalted butter

2 1/2 tbl sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Process the above in a food processor pulsing until the crackers are uniform crumbs. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 10 inch spring form pan. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned. cool on a wire rack.

Filling

2-8oz packages cream cheese (softened)

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375. Process all the filling ingredients in a food processor until the mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and process again to insure that the mixture is well blended. Pour into prepared crust and bake for 25 minutes. Cool 30 minutes.

Topping

2 cups sour cream

2 tbl sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 425. Blend together all ingredients. Cover the cream cheese mixture with the topping. Spoon it on so that it doesn't sink into the cheesecake. Return to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, cool and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

This isn't the quickest recipe on the planet and you should plan to make it in the morning for that nights dinner so it has time to chill. It is great leftover.

Raspberry sauce - because Sascha will ask.... love you Sasch, muwah!

1 package frozen raspberries, sweetened if you can find them. If not, just get regular and add a teence of sugar.

Let them thaw completely in the sink (still in the package).

Put them in a strainer and press with a spoon to get the juice out leaving the seeds in the strainer. Voila! Raspberry sauce for your cheesecake.