Basic Cheesecake is heavenly and fresh! Serve within the first 24 hours to optimize the enjoyment of this dessert.  Serves 12 portions.

Crust
2 cups finely crushed graham crackers (avail. @ Vivimarket)
½ tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)
½ cup butter, melted

3  250 g  packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour (“0”)
1 tsp vanilla extract (avail. @ Vivimarket or make your own)
½ tsp finely shredded lemon peel (optional)
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
¼ cup milk

• Items needed: parchment paper, 1 shallow baking pan, small sauce pan, 1 round baking pan, 1 large mixing bowl, 1 small mixing bowl, fork, Mixer, zester or knife, measuring cups and measuring spoons, rubber spatula or spoon

• Preheat oven to 325 F or 150 C.
• Prepare a shallow baking pan with water 2/12 cups of water and set it aside. It will be used at the end of the recipe for the Bain-Marie.
• Begin to melt 1/2 cup butter in a sauce pan over low heat, about 3 minutes.
• Line an 8×3 round cake pan with cooking parchment (measured and cut at 12×7) that has been dampened and crumpled.
• For crust, use a small mixing bowl and combine with a fork crackers, melted butter and cinnamon. Empty ingredients into round baking pan on top of dampened parchment and with your fingers, press crumb mixture into prepared pan lined with parchment paper, taking care to press up the sides about 2 inches. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla and lemon zest (yellow skin do not cut white pith it is bitter) cut into strips.  Beat with an electric mixer till fluffy.
• Add eggs and yolk all at once, beating on low-speed just till combined.
• Stir in milk.
• Pour mixture into crust-lined pan.
• Place prepared cheesecake in round baking pan onto a shallow baking pan in oven and fill outside pan about half full with boiling water (Bain-marie).
• Place in oven and bake at 325 F or 150 C for 55 to 65 minutes.  Cheesecake is done when the center seems nearly set, but jiggles slightly when shaken.
•  Remove cake pan from water and let cool at least an hour before removing from pan with paper (just lift it out).
•  Place on plate and refrigerate for at least four hours before serving.

Variations:

Oreo Cheesecake: Substitute Oreos for graham crackers and reduce butter to 5 Tbsp.  Crush an additional ½ cup of Oreos and mix into cream cheese mixture just before pouring it into the crust-lined pan.

Liqueur Cheesecake: Substitute White Crème de Menthe, Crème de Cacao, Coffee Liqueur, or Amaretto for the 1/4 cup milk.

Recipe from CIndy Evans