Cheesecake

Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups Saida cookies (roughly 20 cookies), crushed

5 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cups (75 grams) melted butter

600 grams cream cheese

1 cup sugar

4 eggs (separated)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1.  Put the cookies in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or heavy pan.  The goal is to have a nice sandy texture. 

2.  Mix the crushed cookies with sugar and butter and press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.  (You can use the back of a measuring cup to press it in.)

3.  Mix together cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks, lemon juice, and vanilla together until everything is creamy.

4.  In a separate bowl mix the egg whites until they make stiff peaks.

5.  Carefully fold the egg whites into the cream cheese mixture.

6.  Pour the filling into the crust and bake at 325* F (160* C) for 35 minutes.

7.  After the 35 minutes is over turn the oven off but leave the cheese cake in the oven for an hour with the door open.

8.  After the hour put the cheesecake in the fridge to chill.

9.  Serve plain or top with fruit.

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In high school I was known as The Cheesecake Lady.  For every one of my classmates' birthdays I made a cheesecake (usually topped with cherries).  I think a few people had multiple birthdays just so they could have another cheesecake.  Since graduating from high school (12 years ago, cough, cough, cough) I have probably only made four or five cheesecakes.  The other day my father-in-law asked for a cheesecake, this was the result of that request.