New York Cheesecake (Mom's Recipes- Year Four: Volume 2; May, 2013)

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 1 hour, 10- 15 min
Chill time: 2 hours- overnight
Ready in: 3 hours, 40- 45 min
Serves: 8- 12

Ingredients: 
CRUST:
1 1/2 c. chocolate graham cracker crumbs
2 T. sugar
1/4 c. unsalted butter- melted

FILLING:
2 lb. cream cheese- at room temperature
2 T. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large vanilla beans
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. sour cream
3 eggs- at room temperature

Directions: 
- Preheat oven to 400
- Lightly butter a 9" springform pan
- In a bowl, combine crust ingredients, and stir until well blended and crumbs are evenly moistened
- Pour crumb mixture into springform pan and press evenly onto the bottom and 1 1/2" up the sides of the pan
- Bake for 10 min
- Remove crust from oven and cool, in pan, on a cooling rack
- Reduce oven to 300
- In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, flour, and salt
- Using a sharp knife, split both vanilla beans in half lengthwise and scrape seeds into the bowl using the tip of the knife
- Beat ingredients on medium-high until very smooth and fluffy, stopping frequently to scrape the sides of the bowl
- Add sugar and sour cream and beat until well-blended, stopping frequently to scrape the sides of the bowl
- Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition before adding the next egg
- Pour cream cheese mixture into crust
- Bake until center jiggles slightly, about 60- 65 min
- Remove cheesecake from oven and cool, in pan, on a cooling rack
- When cooled to room temperature, refrigerate until well-chilled, preferably overnight
- To serve, unclasp and remove the pan sides
- Run a long, thin, metal spatula under the bottom crust and carefully slide the cake onto a flat serving plate
- To slice, run a thin-bladed knife under hot water and wipe it dry before each cut