Recipe: Philly Cheese Cake

Philly Cheese Cake
rec.food.cooking/Bill Taylor/1998

This is a delicious fluffy recipe. I believe it's the original Philadelphia cream cheese recipe. You will need a tall spring pan and a good mixer(not hand). You also might need to bake it a little longer depending on the oven. Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature. We've been making this cheese cake in my family for about 40 years. It's delicious. We just put a sour cream topping on it, but you can add berries if you like. Make sure you leave it in the pan in the fridge for about 24 hours to set it. Do not invert. Take a wet table knife and run it around the edge to unstick. I do not try to take it off the bottom part of the pan. It wouldn't work. I just set it on a pretty plate.

1 cup graham cracker crumbs blended with 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter

Blend crumbs and butter. Press into 9 inch spring pan. Bake in a slow oven 300 degrees for 5 minutes. Cool.

2 pounds cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind (optional)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 large eggs, separated

Separate eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff. Blend cream cheese with the sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon rind, and lemon juice. Add the egg yolks one at a time, blending slowly. Make sure this is thoroughly mixed. Take off mixer and fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour the mixture over the crumbs and bake in a slow oven, 300 degrees for 45 minutes.

Topping
1 cup thick sour cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix these 3 ingredients together by hand and pour over cake. Return to oven for an additional 10 minutes. Cool overnight. Do not invert.