Make the cream cheese filling: Place one 8-ounce package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Then beat in the remaining 3 packages of cream cheese.

Pour filling into crust (springform pan will be completely full) and bake in a baking pan (to catch drips) in middle of oven 12 minutes, or until puffed.

A Baking Illustrated recipe that has been tested a least a hundred times for consistency, texture and taste. A failure-proof recipe to enjoy!

This is the combination of two separate recipes I had been playing with until I found what I liked. NEVER any leftovers..

New York Cheesecake - Crust: 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 1 tablespoon sugar 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (divided) Filling: 2 1/2 pounds cream cheese 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/3 cup sour cream 2 teaspoons pure vanilla 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 2

Europeans have been enjoying some form of cheesecake since the time of the ancient Greeks. The earliest ones in America were made several ways: with cottage cheese, as in Mrs. Rorer's Philadelphia Cook Book ; and with fresh sweet milk and sour milk curd, as in Fannie Farmer's 1896 book The