The Easiest Cheesecake EVER!

So, I thought since I can't find any decent tomatoes, I would make something else to update my blog. Recently, I subscribed to Cooks Illustrated magazine. This magazine is edited and owned by Christopher Kimball of my favorite television show, PBS' America's Test Kitchen. If you know me well, you know that I am obsessed with Christopher Kimball. I read his "Greetings from Vermont" emails three times over whenever I receive them, which I never do with what some would consider junk mail. I'm a recipe tester for America's Test Kitchen, I have all the cookbooks and handbooks, and I LITERALLY take notes on the food science editorials by Chris. I have a staple cheesecake recipe that I use to make cheesecakes for company and cake orders... it's a bit of a pain in the rear for just feeling like making a cheesecake so I can have it. So... America's Test Kitchen provided me with this WONDERFUL, no hassle recipe... I tried it tonight, and it was WONDERFUL! Although I will still use my other recipe for orders, I thought that I would share this with you. It is easy because you don't have to worry about overbeating batter or a water bath! My cheesecake was consistent, smooth, and best of all CRACK FREE! I will make my comments in bold italics. 

New York Style Cheesecake--- by America's Test Kitchen!

INGREDIENTS

Graham Cracker Crust
1	cup graham cracker crumbs (4 ounces, 8 whole crackers, broken into rough pieces and processed in food processor until uniformly fine) I used graham cracker crumbs from a box, because I didn't feel like going to buy graham crackers to crush. You might notice that these boxed crumbs have lost a lot of flavor... I added 1/2 tsp vanilla and an extra 2 teaspoons of sugar, and the crust turned out wonderful.
1	tablespoon granulated sugar
5	tablespoons unsalted butter , melted, plus additional 1 tablespoon melted butter for greasing pan
Cheesecake Filling
2 1/2	pounds cream cheese , cut into rough 1-inch chunks and left to stand at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes It is IMPERATIVE that you cool this cream cheese to room temperature. This effects everything, makes the cheese easier to cream. That reduces air bubbles that can cause cracks in that cheesecake you worked so hard to craft!
1/8	teaspoon table salt
1 1/2	cups granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces)
1/3	cup sour cream (2 1/2 ounces) Do not use heavy cream! Sour cream adds a wonderful, tangy flavor that makes this cake uniquely New York style.
2	teaspoons lemon juice from 1 lemon PureLemon juice works fine, too.
2	teaspoons vanilla extract I added 1 tbl. (3 tsp)
2	large egg yolks
6	large eggs

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar in medium bowl; add 5 tablespoons melted butter and toss with fork until evenly moistened. Brush bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan with most of remaining melted butter, making sure to leave enough to brush pan in step 3. Empty crumbs into springform pan and press evenly into pan bottom. I greased the bottom of the pan with butter, too, to prevent sticking to the bottom while trying to remove the cake from your springform. Bake until fragrant and beginning to brown around edges, about 13 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling.
   

2. 2. For the cheesecake filling: Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment If you are like me, you hate using a mixer! Use it anyway., beat cream cheese at medium-low speed to break up and soften slightly, about 1 minute. Scrape beater and bottom and sides of bowl well with rubber spatula; add salt and about half of sugar and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; beat in remaining sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla, and beat at low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add yolks and beat at medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add whole eggs two at a time, beating until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute, and scraping bowl between additions.

3. 3. Brush sides of springform pan with remaining melted butter. Set springform pan on rimmed baking sheet (to catch any spills if springform pan leaks). Pour filling into cooled crust and bake 10 minutes; without opening oven door, reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees and continue to bake until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of cheesecake registers about 150 degrees, about 11/2 hours You might have to bake longer than this, I did. Check for jiggliness... if on a scale of 1-10, the cake is jiggly level 6, PUT IT BACK IN for 20 minutes!!!. Transfer cake to wire rack and cool 5 minutes; run paring knife between cake and side of springform pan. Cool until barely warm, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours. (Cake can be refrigerated up to 4 days.)

4. 4. To unmold cheesecake, remove sides of pan. Slide thin metal spatula between crust and pan bottom to loosen, then slide cake onto serving plate. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.