Dense and Firm Cheesecake from Cook's Illustrated Magazine

(If you are going to use this recipe for the Cheesecake Lollipops, you don't need to make the graham cracker crust. In step 1, just leave out the graham cracker crumbs)

Instructions

1. 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Line bottom of 9-inch springform pan with foil, tuck foil underneath pan bottom, assemble pan, then pull foil around side of pan, (see illustrations 1 and 2, below). Brush bottom and sides with butter. Sprinkle crumbs over bottom. Tilt pan in all directions to coat evenly with crumbs.
2. 2. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat on medium speed until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated and scraping down after each addition. (If you don't scrape down the bowl after each egg, cream cheese that sticks to the bowl will ultimately show up as lumps in the batter.) Add zest and vanilla and beat until just incorporated. Remove bowl from mixer; stir in cream and sour cream.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cheesecake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees, leaving oven door ajar until oven temperature reduces. Bake until perimeter of cake is set, but center jiggles like Jell-O when pan is tapped, about 1 hour longer. Remove springform pan and set on wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours. (Can be refrigerated up to 4 days.)

Technique

To Foil-Line a Springform Pan

1. To foil-line your springform pan, remove the pan bottom from the ring. Line the bottom round with foil, tucking the excess foil underneath.

2. Return the pan to the ring and clamp it in place, pulling the foil from the underside of the pan bottom up around the side of the pan.