Munich Cheesecake

Directions

In a mixing bowl, sift together 1 cup flour, 3 tbsp sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt.

With a pastry blender cut in ½ cup butter to make a mealy mixture.

With a fork mix in 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten.

Press the dough evenly over the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan and bake the pastry in a moderate (350 F) oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Set the pan on a wire rack and let cool.

In a mixing bowl, beat 12 ounces of soft cream cheese until fluffy.

Scrape the seeds from 1 split vanilla bean [a dash of vanilla extract will do just fine] into the cheese and add ¼ teaspoon of salt.

Beat 2 eggs with ½ cup sugar until they are thick and lemon colored.

Stir them into the cheese mixture, beating it until smooth.

Spread the mixture over the pastry in the pan and bake in a 350℉ (180℃) oven for 20 mintutes [or until it begins to golden].

Let cool on a wire rack.

Whirl poppy seeds in a blender or foor processor until they are reduced to a course powder.

Measure 1 cup into a saucepan.

Stir in ¾ cup each of plumped golden raisins and sugar, ½ cup of milk, the grated peel of one large lemon, and the seeds of 1 vanilla bean [again, a dash of vanilla extract is fine].

Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes, or until it is thick but easy to spread.

Let the mixture cool thoroughly and spread it over the cooled cheesecake.

Mix together 6 tbsp of flour, 6 tbsp of brown sugar, and cut in ¼ cup of butter with a pastry blender to make coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle the crumbs over the poppy seed layer.

Set the cheesecake under a broiler about 6 inches from the heat and broil for 3 minutes, or until the streusel topping is browned and crisp.

Cool the cheesecake completely.

It can be chilled, but let it return to room temperature before serving.