Recipe(tried): Divine Cheesecake (vintage recipe)

DIVINE CHEESECAKE

This cheesecake recipe was first published in a magazine about 30 years ago. Several years later they included it in a "best of the best series". It is a smooth, creamy and not too sweet cheesecake that is delicious on it's own or with a topping. It is not a light, fluffy cheesecake.

I first made it when my daughter was about 15 months old. She loved her first taste and it is still her favorite dessert. She always chose it for her birthday cake. I have dozens of cheesecake recipes but this is the one that I like best. This morning I dug out the recipe and thought I would share it.

CRUST:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, melted

FILLING:
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons grated fresh lemon peel
5 large eggs (room temperature)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

CREAMY TOPPING:
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

CRUST:
Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
Mix crumbs, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add the butter and stir until blended.
Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of the pan. Smooth the crumb mixture along the bottom to an even thickness. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

FILLING:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese and lemon peel in a large bowl with electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, sugar and salt and beat until blened, scraping down sides of the bowl occasionally. Once blended, beat 10 minutes or until mixture is smooth, creamy and pale. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 50 mintes or until cake is set and top feels firm. Remove from oven. Let stand in pan on wire rack 20 minutes (cake will continue to set and top may crack during cooling).

CREAMY TOPPING:
With a wooden spoon beat sour cream, sugar and vanilla about 1 minute until smooth. Pour over cake and spread gently over surface. Return to oven and bake 10-12 minutes until set. Cool in pan on wire rack, then refrigerate until cold or up to 2 days.

To serve, run knife around cake to loosen. Remove pan sides. Cake can be frozen (leave on pan bottom), well wrapped, up to 1 month.

If desired, each slice can be served with cherry pie filling or other sauce of your choice.

Makes 16 servings