vanilla bean dream cheesecake

Greencastle, PA
Updated on Mar 7, 2013

This has been my only cheesecake recipe for over 25 years. It's impossibly decadent and creamy, and does not crack or dry on top. This leaves all others in the dust!

Blue Ribbon Recipe

As I flight attendant I often sought out the best NYC cheesecakes in my travels... Well, I would put this wonderful cake right up there with the pro's any day! Yum.

prep time 1 Hr 30 Min
cook time 3 Hr
method Bake
yield 12 serving(s)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups vanilla wafer crumbs or graham cracker crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons whole toasted pecans finely ground
  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted (no substitutes)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 4 packages 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 1/3 cup sour cream or lite sour cream
  • 1 large vanilla bean split, scraped/or 2 tsp. real vanilla extract

How To Make vanilla bean dream cheesecake

  • Step 1
    Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Step 2
    Make crust: combine vanilla wafer or graham crumbs, sugar, pecans, and butter in a bowl until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press mixture into bottom of a 8-inch springform pan. Bake till golden brown, 10 min. Cool on wire rack. Wrap bottom and sides of pan with heavy duty foil. Set aside.
  • Step 3
    Cut in half and scrape vanilla bean seeds out of each half. Use the bean pods in 1 cup of sugar in plastic baggy to make vanilla sugar for coffee, tea, desserts, etc.
  • Step 4
    Make filling: Reduce oven temp. to 325 degrees. Beat cream cheese in mixer bowl on medium-high speed 3 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in vanilla beans or vanilla extract. Gradually beat in sugar, scraping sides of mixer bowl. Add eggs, one at a time beating just until blended and mix is completely smooth. Stir in sour cream. Pour into prepared pan. Place pan in a large roasting pan and carefully add enough hot water to come halfway up side of springform pan.
  • Step 5
    Bake 1 hour. Turn off oven and let cheesecake stand in oven for 1 hour. (DO NOT OPEN OVEN!!!) Remove from water and cool on wire rack 1 hour. Remove foil. Cover and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.
  • Step 6
    Remove ring from pan and transfer cake to a flat serving plate. Garnish if desired -But you won't want to!

Discover More

Category: Cakes
Keyword: #cheesecake
Keyword: #pecan
Keyword: #creamy
Keyword: #Vanilla
Keyword: #crust
Keyword: #decadent
Keyword: #no-fail
Collection: Cheesecake
Ingredient: Dairy
Method: Bake
Culture: American

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