Cheesecake Love Part 2: New York Cheesecake with Mango Compote

This is the second installment of my cheesecake series. I told you, I'm obsessed with cheesecake.

If you're looking for a recipe for basic New York Cheesecake, this is it. You can easily make variations by changing the flavoring and crust as well as the topping.

I urge you to follow the baking instructions detailed here especially the baine-marie style of baking. You won't regret it. The possibility of cracking and overbaking is eliminated and you are left with a rich and velvety cheesecake that everyone will rave about.


New York Cheesecake with Mango Compote


Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons refined sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/4 cup melted butter

1. Stir all ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Press crust onto bottom of an ungreased 9" springform pan. Chill until needed. (This recipe is also good for 2- 6" mini cheesecake pans).

Filling:
2 bars (225 grams each) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup refined sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. To prepare filling, beat together cream cheese and refined sugar until smooth.
2. Add eggs one at a time.
3. Stir in flour, sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla extract.
4. Pour filling over prepared crust.
5. Wrap bottom of pan with a big piece of aluminum foil.
6. Place springform pan inside a roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to go one inch up the side of springform pan (baine-marie style).
7. Bake in a slow oven 300°F for about one hour. (Center should still be jiggly. It will firm up as it chills.)
8. Cool thoroughly then chill overnight before serving.

Mango Compote:
1/2 cup mango preserves
1/4 cup water
2 cups fresh mango balls

1. Warm mango preserves and water.
2. Gently stir in mango balls. Turn off heat.
3. Cool thoroughly. Spoon over cheesecake.


Makes 8 to 10 generous servings.