Gift Idea - Cheesecake!

Happy Christmas Week!

I'm sure you've already done your shopping and wrapping and planning for this weekend, but....just in case you haven't....I think this is a sweet gift idea!

This cheesecake recipe came from my friend Ginger, and I make it multiple times per year!  I made it for Jay's birthday at Thanksgiving this year and it was a hit!

To hold it's shape, cheesecake should be made in a springform pan - you can buy them anywhere for not much money, so don't freak out.  Why not buy a pan, make a cheesecake, and give the cake and the pan as a gift with the recipe attached?

I say go for it.

So, this cheesecake is super duper easy - you can't mess it up!  Plus, it has a topping, so you don't have to worry about any cracks or other things that your grandmother said were important when it comes to baking.

These are springform pans pictured with three varieties of cream cheese because I decided at the last minute to make two cheesecakes at once.

It was worth it.

First, you mix some ingredients together for the crust:

Then, you dump the crust evenly in the pan and mash it down with your fingers.

It helps to use wax paper to mash in the crust and make it nice and firm and smooth.

Nice, huh?  Then you mix together your filling ingredients, and pour that over the crust.

Don't fret about the size of the springform: if you use a smaller diameter you'll have thicker cake, and it'll be thinner and wider if you use a larger pan.  Use whatever you like!

Callie knows she can't have cheesecake, so she was extremely disgruntled while I was making these.

So you cook the filling for an hour or so, then make this delicious wonderful fabulous sour cream topping - this is what makes this cheesecake the BEST.

Then, you spread the topping on the cake and bake it for another few minutes, and you're all done!

I have no hints for you on this one because it's just so easy.  The only thing I'd suggest is to let the cream cheese REALLY soften before you start making the filling, and spray your knife with cooking spray when you're cutting it.  You'll love this recipe!

Here're the actual instructions.

For the Crust:

• 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 5 tablespoon sugar
• 5 tablespoon melted butter

Mix sugar and crumbs together

Add butter to the mixture

Stir well with a fork, pour into springform pan. Press down firmly with wax paper.

For the Filling:

• 3  8oz pkgs of softened cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

Using mixer, mix ingredients until smooth.  Pour over graham cracker crust

Bake 1 hr at 325; let cake cool for 10 minutes before adding topping

For the Topping:

• 1 ½ cups sour cream
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix ingredients together, pour over cake after cooling for 10 minutes

Bake again at 325 for 6 or 7 minutes

Make this and give it to someone you love!  Merry Christmas Week!