White Chocolate Cheesecake

I'd like to master the cheesecake. Meaning, I'd like to be able to make it without a crack in it and for the cake to be super rich and creamy without any gritty lumps inside. There are apparently a few tricks to the trade.

1. Don't overbeat the filling-what does that mean anyway? I'm not sure, so I truly mixed it in my kitchen stand as few times as possible-only until it was right at the beginning of being completely incorporated.
2. Make sure the oven isn't too dry. Place a bowl of water inside the oven while you bake (in an oven proof dish obviously.)
3. Make sure you run a knife along the edges IMMEDIATELY after it's done baking and before it cools-then if the cheesecake sinks a little, it won't stick to the edges causing the crack. Ahaaaaaaa.
4. The ingredients MUST be at room temperature. I leave everything out overnight. Eggs, butter, and especially the cream cheese.

We didn't have anywhere to go until 10 in the morning so I decided I would cram in a cheesecake. Once you've taken all precautions that I've listed above, I think it's pretty easy and fast to make...I made this in about 30 minutes and then an additional hour for baking. When I opened the oven, I didn't want to look because I was afraid of that dreaded crack that runs through many cheesecakes...but to my surprise it was a flawless cake-no crack! woo hoooooooo!!!!! Taking all precautions has its benefits!

I let it sit in the refrigerator about 4 hours before I served it. The texture was creamy and smooth. The crust tasted like a chocolate shortbread cookie and it didn't crumble when I cut into it. It wasn't overly sweet, but the raspberries definitely were a nice complement.

White Chocolate Cheesecake
(Philadephia Cookbook)

Crust:
1/4 c sugar
1 cup flour (or graham crackers-I used chocolate graham crackers)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 stick of butter

Filling:
4 sticks of cream cheese
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
12 oz white chocolate chips, melted and cooled

Directions:
Set oven to 300F degrees for a dark colored springform or 325F degrees for a silver colored springform. Wrap the bottom of the springform with aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet.

Combine all ingredients in a mixer and mix well. Press mixture into a 9 inch springform pan and prick all over with a fork. Bake for 25 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Set aside and let cool.

For the cream cheese mixture:
In a mixer beat cream cheese and sugar. Add vanilla. Then add melted chocolate chips. Mix to combine. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated after each addition. Pour the mixture over the crust.

Bake cheesecake for 55 minutes. The cheesecake may look wiggly, but once you let it set, it will firm up. After 55 minutes, I turned off the oven and I left it in there...only because I was in a rush to leave. I left it in there for about 4 hours and then transferred it into the refrigerator for another 4 hours.

Let it sit overnight or for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator.

Serve with raspberries and enjoy!