Junior's Famous No.1 Cheesecake
Source of Recipe
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Recipe Introduction
Pure Cream Cheesecake -- "The Best of the Best". If you ever find
yourself in Brooklyn you might consider stopping by the famed Junior's
restaurant on Flatbush Avenue at the corner of DeKalb. Their cheesecake is
as renown as the restaurant itself, sold by mail order and the cable
shopping channel QVC it's become a cheesecake by which all others are
judged.
List of Ingredients
1 recipe Thin Sponge Cake Layer (see below)
For Cream Cheese Filling:
4 (8-ounce) packages regular cream cheese, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 extra-large large eggs
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Recipe
1.. Preheat the oven to 350*F (180*C) and generously butter a
9-inch springform pan. Make the batter for the sponge cake as the recipe
directs. Evenly spread the batter on the bottom of the pan and bake just
until set and golden, about 10 minutes. Place the cake on a wire rack to
cool (don't remove it from the pan).
2.. While the cake cools, make the cream cheese filling: Place one
8-ounce package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the
cornstarch in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until
creamy, about 3 minutes. Then beat in the remaining 3 packages of cream
cheese.
3.. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat in the remaining 1
1/3 cups of the sugar, then beat in the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one
at a time, beating the batter well after adding each one. Blend in the
heavy cream. At this point mix the filling only until completely blended
(just like they do at Junior's). Be careful not to over mix the batter.
4.. Gently spoon the cheese filling on top of the baked sponge cake
layer. Place the springform pan in a large shallow pan containing hot
water that comes about 1-inch up the sides of the pan. Bake the
cheesecake until the center barely jiggles when you shake the pan, about 1
hour.
5.. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 1 hour. Then cover the cake
with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it's completely cold, at least 4
hours or overnight. Remove the sides of the springform pan. Slide the
cake off the bottom of the pan onto a serving plate. Or if you wish,
simply leave the cake on the removable bottom of the pan and place it on a
serving plate. If any cake is left over, cover it with plastic wrap and
store in the refrigerator.
Thin Sponge Cake Layer for Cheesecake
One suggestion: keep an eye on this cake while it bakes. There's not
much batter, so it needs only about 10 minutes of baking -- only enough
time for the cake to turn light golden and set on the top.
1/2 cup cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 extra-large eggs, separated
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 drops pure lemon extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1.. Preheat the oven to 350*F (180*C) and generously butter a
9-inch springform pan. Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt together
in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
2.. Beat the egg yolks together in a large bowl with an electric
mixer on high speed for 3 minutes. Then, with the mixer still running,
gradually add the 1/3 cup of the sugar and continue beating until thick
light-yellow ribbons form in the bowl, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the
vanilla and lemon extracts.
3.. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand
until no more white flecks appear. Then blend in the butter.
4.. In a clean bowl, using clean dry beaters, beat the egg whites
and cream of tartar together on high speed until frothy. Gradually add
the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks
form (the whites should stand up in stiff peaks but not be dry). Stir
about 1/3 cup of the whites into the batter, then gently fold in the
remaining whites -- don't worry if a few white specks remain.
5.. Gently spoon the batter into the pan. Bake the cake just until
the center of the cake springs back when lightly touched, only about 10
minutes (watch carefully). Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack
while you continue making the cheesecake filling. Do not remove the
cake from the pan.
Serves 12 to 16.
Source: From the cookbook, "Welcome to Junior's! Remembering Brooklyn
With Recipes and Memories from Its Favorite Restaurant".
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