CARNEGIE DELI CLASSIC NEW YORK CITY CHEESECAKE

Carnegie Deli’s huge pastrami sandwiches were selected as the best in New York by New York Magazine in 1975, but it’s the cheesecakes, which can be shipped anywhere in the country, that really put this famous deli on the map. The secret to accurately cloning a traditional New York cheesecake is in creating the perfect not-too-sweet sugar cookie crust and varying the baking temperature so that you get a nicely browned top before cooking the cheesecake through. Get ready for the best deli-style cheesecake to ever come out of your oven.

1. Leave the butter and cream cheese out of the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes to soften. Make the crust by creaming together the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add the egg and mix well. Add the flour and stir well to combine.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, then press half of the dough

onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the edge of the dough begins to turn light brown. Cool.

3. Take the remaining dough and press it around the inside edge of the pan. Don’t go all the way up to the top though. Leave about a ½-inch margin from the top of the pan.

4. Crank oven up to 500 degrees F. To make the filling, combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Mix in the sour cream and flour. Add the eggs and mix on low speed until combined.

5. Pour the cream cheese filling into the pan and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and bake for 30 to 35 minutes more, or until the center is firm. Cool completely, then cover and chill in refrigerator for several hours or overnight before serving.

• SERVES 8.