Donna's Cheesecake

A New York-style cheesecake the way Donna makes it: two pounds of cream cheese, a half cup of butter, a full pint of sour cream, and four eggs, all blended into something so rich it slices like fudge. The recipe doesn’t even bother with a crust. You add one yourself if you want, or skip it entirely.

The slow-cool method is the move that prevents cracking. The cake bakes for an hour at 325°F (160°C), then the oven goes off and the cake stays inside with the door cracked open for another full hour. That gentle cooldown lets the cheesecake contract slowly instead of jolting from hot to room temp, which is exactly what splits the surface.

Cornstarch and a little flour in the batter are old-school stabilizers. They keep the eggs from over-coagulating in the long bake, so the texture stays creamy through and through instead of going grainy.

Pro Tips

• Bring all ingredients to true room temperature. Cold cream cheese, eggs, or sour cream leave streaks and lumps no amount of beating can fix.
• Wrap the bottom of the springform pan in foil if the seal is loose. The pan fills very full and a leaky seam means a puddle on your oven floor.
• For a graham cracker crust, mix 1½ cups crumbs with ⅓ cup melted butter and 2 tablespoons sugar, press, bake 8 minutes, and cool before adding the filling.
• Chill at least 6 hours, ideally overnight. Cheesecake needs full chilling to set properly.

Variations

• Swirl in raspberry preserves or melted chocolate before baking for marbled cheesecake.
• Add 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon zest for a brighter, more tart version.
• Top with sliced strawberries and a glaze of warmed strawberry jam after chilling.