Cheesecake (New York style)

Recipe given to me as a Master's Degree graduation gift by Kristin Orr, a geology graduate student, in 1982. Kris brought this to a lot of department parties and it was a favorite of all who tasted it.

Baked cheesecake with cinnamon on top.

Crust

• 20 graham crackers (1 package, or 10 double sheets)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Crush graham crackers (by hand in the plastic sleeves, and then in a blender), blend with melted butter, and mold into a 10 x 10 inch baking pan. Bake 8 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool.

Filling

• 18 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream cream cheese and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add vanilla. Pour into crust and bake for 30 minutes or longer, depending on pan depth, at 350 degrees. Slightly warming filling to room temperature before baking helps filling bake more evenly. Placing the pan on the bottom rack of the oven allows the filling to bake thoroughly while not browning excessively on top.

Topping

• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix ingredients and spread onto cheese cake. Bake for 8 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon. Chill well.