Let me start by saying how much I missed you guys while taking the month of March off from blogging. I received so many emails with recipes while I was gone that it was hard to decide. So many people suggested I make another cheesecake and offered up several recipes. Being the lover of cheesecake that I am, I decided to take them up on their suggestion. After careful consideration and looking at several recipes sent to me, I decided to make Dorie’s Tall and Creamy Cheesecake. I have had my eye on this cheesecake for months, ever since the Tuesdays with Dorie bloggers made it.
I already have a tried and true cheesecake recipe that I love but wanting to step out of my comfort zone, I was excited to try Dorie’s recipe. The batter comes together in less than 10 minutes but it does require over two hours bake and cooling time, in addition to that, it is best to allow the cheesecake to chill overnight before serving. I feel the taste and texture of a cheesecake only improves over time. I baked it in the afternoon and allowed to chill for a day and a half before trying a slice.
Wow, the name describes this cheesecake perfectly. With 2lbs of cream cheese, heavy cream, sour cream and sugar, this dessert is not for the calorie-conscious, but let me tell you, it is so worth the time on the treadmill and a little slice is more than satisfying. The texture is creamy, smooth and rich. It is just what you would want in a cheesecake. The flavor, oh my that flavor! I love the addition of sour cream (which my stand-by recipe does not have) to add a suble tang that excites your tastebuds and pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the crust (and any toppings you may add).
I used a water bath and had no problems with cracks except for a few minor ones around the edges. The edges also got a little more brown than what I would have liked for a clean presentation of the plain cheesecake. I was serving this by the slice so I added the toppings before serving which eliminated the presentation problem.
I would make this again, however I don’t know if this will be my go-to recipe. I really do love my old stand-by and have never had problems with overbrowning or cracking of the edges with that one. Overall, I enjoyed this recipe and encourage you to try it, or at the very least check out the Tuesdays with Dorie bloggers who made it and drool over their pictures and descriptions.
I rate this recipe an 8
Tall and Creamy Cheesecake
Dorie Greenspan
For the crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
For the cheesecake:
2 pounds (four 8-ounce boxes) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sour cream or heavy cream, or a combination of the two*
*I used 1 cup heavy cream and 1/3 cup sour cream
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Butter a 9-inch springform pan—choose one that has sides that are 2 3/4 inches high (if the sides are lower, you will have cheesecake batter leftover)—and wrap the bottom of the pan in a double layer of aluminum foil; put the pan on a baking sheet.
Stir the crumbs, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir until all of the dry ingredients are uniformly moist. (I do this with my fingers.) Turn the ingredients into the buttered springform pan and use your fingers to pat an even layer of crumbs along the bottom of the pan and about halfway up the sides. Don’t worry if the sides are not perfectly even or if the crumbs reach above or below the midway mark on the sides—this doesn’t have to be a precision job. Put the pan in the freezer while you preheat the oven.
Place the springform on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Set the crust aside to cool on a rack while you make the cheesecake.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
To make the cheesecake:
Put a kettle of water on to boil.
Working in a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until it is soft and lives up to the creamy part of its name, about 4 minutes. With the mixer running, add the sugar and salt and continue to beat another 4 minutes or so, until the cream cheese is light. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one by one, beating for a full minute after each addition—you want a well-aerated batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low and stir in the sour cream and/or heavy cream.
Put the foil-wrapped springform pan in the roaster pan.
Give the batter a few stirs with a rubber spatula, just to make sure that nothing has been left unmixed at the bottom of the bowl, and scrape the batter into the springform pan. The batter will reach the brim of the pan. (If you have a pan with lower sides and have leftover batter, you can bake the batter in a buttered ramekin or small soufflé mold.) Put the roasting pan in the oven and pour enough boiling water into the roaster to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, at which point the top will be browned (and perhaps cracked) and may have risen just a little above the rim of the pan. Turn off the oven’s heat and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Allow the cheesecake to luxuriate in its water bath for another hour.
After 1 hour, carefully pull the setup out of the oven, lift the springform pan out of the roaster—be careful, there may be some hot water in the aluminum foil—remove the foil. Let the cheesecake come to room temperature on a cooling rack.
When the cake is cool, cover the top lightly and chill the cake for at least 4 hours, although overnight would be better.
Serving:
Remove the sides of the springform pan— I use a hairdryer to do this (use the dryer to warm the sides of the pan and ever so slightly melt the edges of the cake)—and set the cake, still on the pan’s base, on a serving platter. The easiest way to cut cheesecake is to use a long, thin knife that has been run under hot water and lightly wiped. Keep warming the knife as you cut slices of the cake.
Storing:
Wrapped well, the cake will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or for up to 2 months in the freezer. It’s best to defrost the still-wrapped cheesecake overnight in the refrigerator.
Welcoe back. This looks amazing. I missed that TWD week, so must try it (especially a lactose free version)!
What a great “welcome back” dish! Cheesecake is always such a great treat. And, man, does your look delicious!! So glad you’re back.
looks wonderful
Welcome back! The cheesecake looks great! I’m always looking for new cheesecake recipes, so I’m excited to try this one out!
Welcome back! Now can we find a way to sling some that cheesecake my way? 😀
Bob, sorry but this baby is already gone! None left to fling your way, unless I make another one. Hmmmm. Now I am hungry for more cheesecake.
That looks so incredibly good! I bet it was super sweet…mmm. Must make cheesecake…asap!
Welcome back, I have missed you! I enjoyed this when I made it for TWD. I made a lemon version and it was fabulous.
I missed you!! 🙂 OMGOSH and WHAT a comeback!! Droooooling!!!!
YAY glad your back! that looks amazing, can’t wait to see what you post next.
Man, you cam back with a BANG!!! Welcome back!
Terrific photos! I’ve wanted to try that cheesecake as well.
~ingrid
Ingrid,
You must try it, it was so yummy, sure to please a crowd!
That looks SOOO good!!!!!!
You are a woman after my own heart….. This looks soooo yummy! I can’t wait to try.
Nice to see you back! This cheesecake looks soooo wonderful!
Welcome back, and GOODNESS! That looks awesome. Did like Dorie’s tall and creamy when we made it for TWD, but your caramel/nut topping–ooh, I would love that!
We missed you! Glad you are back. The cheesecake looks divine!
Wonderful to have you back!!! And what a way to return – that is one gorgeous cheesecake!
Talk about food porn! That picture is irresistable!!!!
YUM!!!
oh this looks delicious! Great photo which is making me drool.
Immmmpossible to say no to cheesecake! Amazing.
That looks amazingly delicious. My mouth is watering.
wow! i missed this post… but WOW!!
Welcome back, I’ve missed hearing from you. Wow that is honestly one of the best cheesecakes I’ve ever seen! I’m excited to try it, and hope to have time later this week to bake it. Do you know any healthy alternative to using creamcheese? I’ve heard there are low-fat creamcheeses, but have never tried them, what are your thoughts?
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This recipes looks amazing. I can’t wait to bake it this friday during my weekly bake night!
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