Basic (Cream Cheese) Cheesecake

Directions

1. 1
   Crust:
2. 2
   Cream butter and sugar together.
3. 3
   Add egg yolk and vanilla.
4. 4
   Gradually add flour and lemon zest, and mix until dough pulls away from sides of bowl.
5. 5
   Grease the bottom only of a 9-inch springform pan.
6. 6
   Pat dough evenly over the entire bottom of pan.
7. 7
   Bake bottom crust at 350°F for 5 minutes.
8. 8
   Cool completely before greasing sides of pan.
9. 9
   Filling:
10. 10
    Note: All ingredients MUST be at room temperature!
11. 11
    In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar together on lowest speed until well blended, scrape sides of bowl.
12. 12
    Add flour and salt, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each.
13. 13
    Scrape bowl, then add 2 egg yolks.
14. 14
    Add vanilla, lemon zest and heavy cream, stir to mix well.
15. 15
    Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in a preheated 500°F oven for 8 minutes.
16. 16
    Turn oven temperature down to 350°F and continue baking for one hour.
17. 17
    Remove from oven and cool cake completely before removing the sides of pan.
18. 18
    Refrigerate until ready to serve (at least 4 hours).
19. 19
    Note: I have never used a water bath with this recipe and have never had the cheesecake crack. Overbeating the filling and overbaking the cake is what will cause cracks.