Making Cheesecake For Dummies

Ingredients

  1. 1-1/2 cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs
  2. 3 Tbsp. sugar
  3. 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
  4. 4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
  5. 1 cup sugar
  6. 4 eggs, large
  7. For Vanilla Cheesecake:
    1 tsp. vanilla
  8. For Chocolate Cheesecake:
    8 oz. of Semi-Sweet baking chocolate.

Instructions

  1. Place the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl to soften
    Cream Cheese in Bowl
  2. Get out your springform pan and other ingredients
    Springform and Chocolate
  3. Melt butter and add in graham cracker crumbs and 3 Tbsp. sugar
  4. Mix with fork until there are no more dry crumbs
  5. Pour into sprinform and press until crust is firm and evenly distributed
    Crust in Springform
  6. Break up 8 oz. of chocolate and place in microwave safe bowl or measuring cup
    Unmelted Chocolate
  7. Melt the chocolate in microwave and stir thoroughly
    Melted Chocolate
  8. Add 1 cup sugar to bowl with cream cheese and prepare 1 egg by wisking
    Cream Cheese and Sugar and wisked egg
  9. Using electric mixer, mix in first egg until just blended
  10. Prepare second egg by wisking, add to bowl
    First Egg mixed in, second added
  11. Mix in second egg until just blended. Do not over mix
  12. Prepare third egg by wisking, add to bowl
  13. If making vanilla cheesecake, add 1 teaspoon vanilla at this time
    Third Egg in bowl, added vanilla
  14. Mix in third egg (and vanilla, if added) until just blended
  15. Prepare fourth egg by wisking, add to bowl
  16. Mix in the fourth egg until just blended. Do not over mix
    All eggs in and mixed
  17. If making chocolate cheesecake, add in chocolate and mix
    Chocolate in and paritally mixed
  18. Pour the contents of the bowl evenly into your springform pan
    Read for the Oven
  19. For vanilla:
    Bake at 325 for 55 minutes or until center is almost set
    For Chocolate:
    Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set
  20. When center is almost set, remove from oven
  21. Use a knife to go around the edge of the pan and seperate cheesecake from pan
  22. Let cool for 1 1/2 to 2 hours
  23. Refrigerate until cold (overnight works)
  24. Serve! Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers