Ingredients:

  • ½ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
  • ¼ cup Granulated Sugar (for crust)
  • tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
  • oz Cream Cheese, full-fat, softened to room temperature
  • ½ cups Granulated Sugar (for filling)
  • ¾ cup Sour Cream, full-fat, room temperature
  • ¼ cup Heavy Cream, cold
  • teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
  • Large Eggs, room temperature
  • Large Egg Yolk

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Combine cracker crumbs, ¼ cup sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
  2. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely. Prepare the water bath seal by wrapping the outside bottom and sides of the springform pan tightly with 2-3 layers of heavy-duty foil, ensuring water cannot seep in.
  3. In the stand mixer, beat the room-temperature cream cheese until perfectly smooth with no lumps. Gradually stream in the 1 ½ cups of sugar; beat until just combined and creamy.
  4. Mix in sour cream, cold heavy cream, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Scrape down the bowl thoroughly.
  5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing only until just incorporated after each addition. Add the extra egg yolk last. Stop mixing the moment the last streak of yolk disappears; overmixing incorporates air.
  6. Pour the filling over the cooled crust. Gently tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to release any large surface air bubbles.
  7. Place the foil-wrapped springform pan into a larger roasting pan. Place the roasting pan onto the oven rack and carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water reaches about halfway up the side of the springform pan (this creates the bain-marie).
  8. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes. Then, reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) and bake for an additional 45–60 minutes. The edges should be set, but the center 2 inches should still have a slight wobble.
  9. Turn the oven off. Leave the cheesecake inside the oven with the door slightly ajar (using a wooden spoon handle) for 1 hour to allow for slow cooling.
  10. Remove from the oven and the water bath. Let cool completely on a wire rack to room temperature (about 2 more hours). Cover lightly and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours, preferably overnight, before slicing.