Cheesecake
There are a ton of cheesecake recipes, and not all of them are hard and complicated to make. This recipe is easy to make, and you will only need a few ingredients. You won't need a spring-form pan either; a simple baking dish will do. Though it may be simple to make, this cheesecake is still big on taste and will have your family begging for more.
Collecting the Ingredients
For the crust, you will need 1.5 cups of crushed graham crackers and ¼ cup of butter. You can substitute margarine for butter if you wish. For the filling, you will need 4 packages of softened cream cheese, 6 eggs, 1 1/3 cups of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. You will also need a 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish.
Making the Crust
Place your graham crackers into a plastic bag and crush them into fine bits. This method of crushing the crackers will keep the mess inside of the bag. Pour the graham crackers into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the sugar and mix it together with the graham crackers. Melt the butter and pour it into the graham cracker mixture. Mix together until all the graham cracker mixture has been moistened well.
Once you have the graham cracker crust mixed together well, pour it into your baking dish. Use your hands or a cup and smash the crust down firmly against the bottom of the baking dish and up the sides approximately one inch. Make sure it is firmly packed down so the crust will stick together.
Mixing the Filling
Allow the cream cheese to soften in a large mixing bowl. Once it is softened, you can add the other ingredients. Using a mixer, beat together the cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Make sure the mixture does not have any clumps in it and the sugar and eggs are mixed together well. Pour the cheesecake filling into the baking dish with the prepared graham cracker crust.
Baking the Cheesecake
Place the baking dish into a preheated 350-degree oven on the center rack. Bake the cheesecake for 35 minutes and then check to see if the cheesecake is done. If the center of the cheesecake still moves, place the cheesecake back in the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. The cheesecake should be puffy and the center firm when it is done. Remove the cheesecake from the oven when it is done and allow it to cool for 15 minutes before refrigerating. Refrigerate the cheesecake for 12 hours before serving it. This recipe should serve approximately 12 people. You can top with your favorite topping, such as whipped cream or strawberries.
Tags: baking dish, graham cracker, graham crackers, cream cheese, cheese eggs, cheesecake still, cracker crust