Monday, April 11, 2011

Junior's Cheesecake


Fill in the blanks game...ready?

1. "I'd rather eat a ____________ than a ______________"

2. "My ___________ has improved remarkably since ______________"

3. "_________ will keep us ________________"

4. " Wow, I wish I wouldn’t have bought that ____________"

5. "I wish cheesecake went straight to my _____________  instead of my _____________ ."





1. "I'd rather eat a beet than a Veggie Burger".

2. "My Complaining has improved remarkably since I got married".


3. "Beans will keep us with a full tank of gas in these times of ever increasing fuel prices."


4. "Wow, I wish I wouldn’t have bought that Insert QVC Item Here".

5."I wish cheesecake went straight to my boobs instead of my thighs."


 Junior's Famous Cheesecake

Ingredients for One 9-inch Sponge Cake Layer

1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 extra-large eggs separated
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 drops pure lemon extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and generously butter a 9-inch spring form 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 for 3 minutes. Then, with the mixer still running, gradually add the 1/3 cup of 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 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).
5. Stir about 1/3 cup of the whites into the batter, then gently fold in the remaining whites.
6. 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. 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.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Filling

4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, full fat variety, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions for the Cream Cheese Filling

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and generously butter a 9-inch spring form 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 (do not 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 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 1/2 cups of the sugar, then beat in the vanilla and heavy cream. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating the bating only until completely blended. Be careful not to over mix the batter.

4. Gently spoon the cheese filling on top of the baked sponge cake layer. Place the spring form 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 spring form pan.


6. Slide the cake off of 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.


8 comments:

  1. My all time favorite dessert! this cheesecake is beautiful!

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  2. i love Junior's cheesecake. your version looks just as yummy :) it's beautiful!

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  3. I never realized it before but now that you mention it...YES! That is exactly what makes a Junior's cheesecake so awesome: the spongey, cakey base layer. Amazing cheesecake you got there, lady.

    I second #5.

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  4. What a delectable cheesecake...your photos are incredible! Next time I bake a cheesecake, I will use your recipe!

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  5. I love Junior's cheesscake. I snag a piece whenever I get into the city. It is also our special Thanksgiving day treat. You definitely have to have a bunch of people around to eat the whole thing. I am so happy for this recipe!

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  6. Lol, I was going to say almost the same in question number 5, but instead thighs I would say butt

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  7. gorgeous photos and your cheesecake looks absolutely delicious!

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  8. That's a beauty. I love the cheesecake from Junior's and I tried it for the first time a couple of months ago in NYC. Truly fabulous! Beautiful blog you have here, too!

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