How to Make Memére's Cheesecake

This is an alternative to cheesecake that you won't find in any New York Deli. I make this every year for Christmas due to its popularity.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 1/2 packages graham crackers (for crust)
• 4 tablespoons sugar (for crust)
• 1 stick margarine or butter (for crust)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese
• 1 cup all-purpose cream
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• oven
• pie tins
• Electric mixer
• two bowls
• tablespoon
• teaspoon
• measuring cup
• rubber cooking spatula

1. Take the cream cheese out for a few hours to thaw out. Preheat the oven at 350°. Separate the eggs into two bowls.

2. While the cream cheese is thawing and the oven's heating, melt the butter and crush the graham crackers into crumbs. Mix the sugar for the crust with the graham cracker crumbs, then add the melted butter until well mixed. Coat the pie tins with this mixture and pack it into a thick crust.

3. Beat the egg yolks until thick; gradually beat in the sugar for the actual cake. Break up the cream cheese and add them to the yolk mixture and beat until smooth. Add the all-purpose cream, flour and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.

4. In the second bowl, beat the egg whites, just like what you do for soufflé.

5. Gently fold the whites into cheese mixture. Pour the cake contents into the crusted pans and put them into the oven. watch them carefully into golden brown. Serve with your favorite topping or by itself

Tips & Warnings

• For the cooking novices, "separating eggs" is when you separate the yolks from the whites. While they have implements that work kind of like a strainer for yolks, egg-shells work just as well.
• Always, always, ALWAYS knock off the excess crud on the side of the bowl for an even mixture.
• Beating the egg whites are the trickiest part of the recipe. You want them stiff (meaning that if you picked up the electric mixer, it will do that swirly thing you get on frozen yogurt) but not dry. (there's a point where if you're able to do the swirly thing and you keep beating it, it won't do the swirly thing anymore, it sort of make a hill like shape.) This makes it lose its fluffy texture.