New York-Style Cheesecake with Choice of Toppings: Blueberry, Strawberry, Pineapple

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003

• Cook Time:

  --

• Level:

  Intermediate

• Yield:

  1 (9-inch) cheesecake, 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 orange, zested
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Strawberry Sauce, optional, recipe follows
• Blueberry Sauce, optional, recipe follows
• Pineapple Sauce, optional, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar and mix well. Press onto bottom of springform pan and bake until golden, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool. When completely cooled, butter the sides of the pan.

Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, sugar, zests and vanilla and beat until light and creamy. Add the flour, then the eggs and yolks 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream and mix until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 12 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees F and bake for 1 hour more. Transfer cake to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Refrigerate cake overnight before serving.

To serve, top with sauce of choice. Slice with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped with a clean cloth, and serve.

Strawberry Sauce:

2 pints fresh strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons kirsch or brandy

Combine berries, sugar, water and zest and cook until berries are soft and the liquid is thick, about 10 minutes. Stir in the kirsch or brandy and cook for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat and let cool. Spoon on top of the cheesecake and serve.

Blueberry Sauce:

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur

1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest

1 1/2 cups blueberries, picked over and rinsed

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat stir together the sugar, cornstarch, water, orange juice, and orange zest. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the blueberries and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the berries have burst, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and let cool before pouring over the cheesecake.

Yield: 3 cups

Pineapple Sauce:

3 cups fresh 1/2-inch diced pineapple chunks

1/4 cup sugar, plus more to taste

1 cup water

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

2 tablespoons light rum

Combine pineapple, sugar, water and zest, and cook until pineapple is tender and the liquid is thick, about 15 minutes. Stir in the rum, and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and let cool. Spoon on top of the cheesecake and serve.

Yield: about 3 cups