Cheesecake Baking - Sour Cream, Cream Cheese, Sugar and Eggs

Do you love cheesecake? I think it is my favorite dessert. There are many different flavors you can experiment with but my favorite is the "Can't Fail Cheesecake" that I want to share with you.

I've heard many people say that they wouldn't try to make a cheesecake from "scratch", but they are the easiest things in the world to make. I love to make them for special occasions when my family and friends get together. My husband says that I'm just addicted to the compliments! That's probably true.

Several years ago a friend gave me her recipe. She assured me it was fool proof. Of course, I thought that I wouldn't be able to make one that looked and tasted like the wonderful bakery or cheesecake factory desserts; but I was so hungry for cheesecake I decided to give it a try.

My friend told me she had two secrets to success when baking her cheesecakes - not opening the oven door while baking and leaving the cake in the oven over night!

Can't Fail Cheesecake

1¼ cups crushed graham crackers

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons melted margarine or butter

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs

2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream

For the Crust

Combine graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar, and margarine or butter. Press into bottom only of spring-form pan.

Then

Cream together until fluffy the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla. Add 3 eggs, beating well after each addition. Fold in sour cream.

Pour over graham cracker crust and bake in 350º oven for 30 minutes. Turn oven off - do not open oven door - leave in oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool. Put in refrigerator.

If baking late at night you can leave the cheesecake in the oven until the next morning. I have done that and placed it in the refrigerator as soon as I get up.

Best if this is made the day before serving. But sometimes I can't wait that long!

My secret: Have all ingredients at room temperature.

I have read that the mark of a perfect cheesecake is having no cracks develop in the top while baking. Sometimes mine crack; sometimes they don't. No matter, they taste great. Those cracks can be covered by your choice of toppings.