Tall and Creamy Cheesecake (TWD)

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie (TWD) recipe was chosen by Anne of Anne Strawberry: Tall and Creamy Cheesecake. It's smooth, velvety, and rich... basically your classic cheesecake recipe.


You can adapt this recipe several ways to suit your taste. You can flavor it with fruits, nuts, extracts, or chocolate. The recipe calls for 1-1/3 cups heavy cream or sour cream, or a combination of the two. If you prefer a milder cheesecake, use all heavy cream. For a tangier cheesecake, use all sour cream. I used 1 cup of sour cream and 1/3 cup heavy cream, mostly just because I didn't want to purchase a huge tub of sour cream and the next size down was 8 ounces.



I had every intention of doing something creative and fun with this recipe, but with the holidays and our travel plans, I was happy just to get it done. This was probably the nicest looking cheesecake I've ever made. I was elated when I pulled it from the oven and there wasn't a single crack on top! Though I'm not sure why it browned so much - I know that Dorie says it's supposed to brown, but the one pictured in her book is pristine and white, without the faintest hint of browning. Regardless, it did not affect the taste and I considered it to be a success :)


As pretty as it was, I still thought it looked a bit too naked, so I decided to whip up a batch of caramel sauce to drizzle on top.


This cheesecake is everything Dorie promises it to be. It is super smooth and velvety. It's fairly dense, but not quite New York cheesecake dense. It is rich without being too heavy. Just look at how creamy it is!


What's the secret to cutting the perfect slice? I've never had much luck using a knife that's been run through hot water, though that's also what Dorie recommends. I find that I'm able to get much better looking slices if I use dental floss :)


Thanks Anne, for choosing this cheesecake. I loved it and will use it as my go-to cheesecake recipe from now on. If you would like the recipe for the cheesecake, you can find it here. If you're interested in the caramel sauce recipe, you can find it here (along with a pumpkin cheesecake recipe). Make sure you visit the TWD Blog Roll to see how everyone else enjoyed this creamy treat.

* Recipe notes:
- Be very careful when double wrapping your springform pan in aluminum foil. If you inadvertently poke any holes in it, you'll end up with a water logged crust.
- Don't worry if you can't get your water bath half way up the sides of the springform pan. Even an inch of water will help.
- This cheesecake puffs up significantly in the oven, but deflates after it is cooled.
- If you're going to use dental floss to slice your cheesecake, make sure you use the non-flavored kind ;) You'll also want to wipe off any bits that stick to the floss after each run through the cake.
- Wrapped well, the cheesecake will keep for about 1 week in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. If you're freezing it, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight when you are ready to eat.
- For more recipe tips, click here.