The Cheesiest!

This post has been a long time coming.  Anyone that knows me - friends, relatives AND clients - know how much I ADORE cheesecake.  Not just ANY cheesecake.  MYYYYYYY cheesecake...or should I say "Sharlene's Cheesecake", as the recipe is titled.  My SIL Annette gave me this recipe that she got from our friend Sharlene.  I am a cheesecake purist so I do NOT ruin my cheesecake experience with cherries or strawberries or pumpkin flavor or chocolate cheesecake.  Nope - I'm pure all the way baby!


So my friends know I love it and sometimes get a treat when I make one and hand out pieces or bring one to a gathering.  My relatives know I love it because I make it for EVERY freaking family get together.  AND my clients know I love it because I KICK THEIR *SSES every time I eat a whole cheesecake in one Thanksgiving weekend 3 or 4 pieces on a holiday weekend.  In fact, they FEAR holidays now.  Because they KNOW who will pay in the gym on Monday!  There is no JOY like Cheesecake JOY!


When I got my new oven in November, my cheesecake baking started to suffer.  For some reason, the cheesecake got way too brown - almost burned - and they cracked and had to be "sculpted" to remove the dark top.  SO I turned the oven down the next time - same thing.  


Then I looked it up on-line and found a cooking method and brought a BEAUTIFUL cheesecake to a college reunion brunch and it was a DISASTER.  Raw in the middle!  Ever see Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase when Katherine makes the turkey and it explodes because it's so dry, when Clark makes the first cut? 





Well mine exploded in the opposite direction - raw batter oozing out all over the place.  Ughhhh.  SOOOO pissed.


So - this Easter, I tried placing a piece of foil over the top after about 30 minutes and VOILA!  PERFECT cheesecake.  So psyched!


But - I still had the dilemma of about half a cheesecake left. (apparently we had too many desserts on the Easter dessert table my family members are not huge cheesecake fans)


So after consuming FOUR pieces in 24 hours (yea that diet's working...uhuh), I knew that cake had to go.  So I texted my friend and told her I was dropping her some cheesecake - which, oh by the way - she had been begging me for!  Then I proceeded to drive around town and drop off pieces of my cheesecake to 4 of my friends, before I ate another 4 pieces.  Here's the text I received about a half hour later from the begger:


(This text is not for the faint of heart.  I apologize in advance and suggest you stop reading this blog right NOW)

Now THAT'S a happy cheesecake eater!!!  (Do I REALLY have 426 photos on my phone?  That's ridiculous!!!)


Anyway - here's the recipe.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.


VERY IMPORTANT:  I put the eggs, sour cream and cream cheese on the counter overnight so they are perfect room temperature.


32 ounces of Philadelphia Cream cheese
2 cups of sugar
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
6 eggs
32 ounces of sour cream


Mix the  cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until creamy, (I used the store brand once and it just didn't taste the same,  so I always use Philly),  When creamy and lump free, add 1 egg at a time, blending between each egg, until you've used 6 eggs.  Add TWO (yes TWO) 16 oz containers (YES 32 ounces!) of sour cream and fold in until blended.  Pour into a graham cracker crust in a 10 inch spring form pan.  Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.  Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in overnight or until the oven cools down completely.  Refrigerate for at least 12 hours.


THE JOY BOMB!!!!!