SMF

This is a recipe I used to compete for and win a number of blue ribbons at the State Fair several years ago. I still make it for special occasions, and it's everybody's favorite cheesecake recipe. I copied it from our local newspaper around 1981 or thereabouts. For a while I sold these cheesecakes to a local downtown restaurant. I've made hundreds of these. If anybody's heard of Bookbinder's restaurant somewhere near the east coast, this is their recipe.

OLD ORIGINAL BOOKBINDER’S
FABULOUS CHEESECAKE

4 lbs. cream cheese (room temperature)
1 lb. granulated sugar
7 large eggs
1 t. vanilla
¼ fresh lemon (juice and grated rind)
pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Prepare a large spring-form pan by generously buttering and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs.

Blend cream cheese and sugar together in a large mixing bowl, beating until well combined. Add eggs and continue beating until smooth and creamy. Add lemon juice and rind, vanilla and salt, beat until well combined.

Pour mixture into prepared spring-form pan and place into a pan of hot water in the preheated oven. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 and ½ hours or longer if necessary. Cake should be firm around the edges and soft in the center.

Remove from the oven, cool cheesecake in the pan. Let cake stand in the refrigerator overnight before removing from the pan.

You may garnish with strawberries if you like, but it is quite delicious just by itself. Makes many servings, and may be frozen for later use.

Gary.....I wish you had posted this a few days ago; would have paid for one post haste hahaha

clive

The wife needed a cheesecake for an all female party tonight, so we made one last night so it could rest in the refrig overnight. She was kind enough to leave me a piece when she left.. The perfect dessert!

Thanks Gary.

It sounds good.

A few weeks ago I had an occasion to attend a work-related gathering for lunch during Christmastime. I asked the hostess if she minded my bringing a cheesecake. It turned out excellent, and every time I make one of these and get a chance to eat some of it, I am amazed at how delicious this recipe is. I traded recipes with one of my coworkers who had brought some remarkable cookies. I haven't yet remembered to make her recipe but I will in due course. If they work, I'll try to come back and share it with you guys.

I am definitely going to make this.

Thanks so much, Gary for sharing this. I'll let you know how my first foray goes.

Chris

Well, here it is the holiday season again. I've made two cheesecakes this week. The second one this morning. It's a thing of beauty, if I may say so. Personally, I'm sort of burned out on cheesecake, I might go more than a year between slices. It's so rich it doesn't take much. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, fellow SMF members!

I don't look at cheesecake as a holiday item, but an anytime the desire strikes item. I can't convince the wife to want the calories very often at all. I love the stuff, but I don't need the calories either so her reluctance is a good thing.

For the holidays I make walnut potica. The recipe makes 2 and we'll freeze one for later. I tried to suggest a hazelnut or pecan variation but she wanted walnut. I did convince her, for now anyway, to let me make 1/2 a stollen recipe for New Years.

Anything with nuts in it always tastes better to me. Today I even thought of trying to add some kind of nuts to my cheesecake, but quickly realized it would not be a good Idea.

I don't eat cheesecake (dietary reasons) but will make it for others. When I do it's a bit vanilla heavy with a raspberry puree swirled on top.