Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Cheesecake Recipe

With this Philadelphia Cream Cheese Cheesecake Recipe you can make a cheesecake that is light in texture and rich in flavor.

Philadelphia cream cheese is now the most commonly used cheese for cheesecake.

Most food historians credit the invention of cream cheese to a New York dairyman named William A. Lawrence, who first experimented with it and saw potential in the mixture he fashioned from milk and cream in 1872. According to the records of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Kraft's Philadelphia Brand cream cheese was first used in commerce September 1, 1880. Because of several patented adjustments to the production process in the mid-1940’s, the life span of cream cheese jumped from an original couple of weeks to about four months.

This Philadelphia cheesecake recipe calls for a topping of canned cherry pie filling but is equally good with blueberry, raspberry and strawberry pie filling.

Philadelphia Cream Cheese Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients
Crust:

• 1-3/4 cups (about 25 squares) graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1/4 cups granulated sugar

Filling:

• 3 packages (8 ounces each) Philadelphia cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 eggs, at room temperature

Topping:

• 1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix graham cracker crumbs, butter and 1/4 cup of sugar. Firmly press crumb mixture into the bottom and 2-1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat Philadelphia cream cheese and 1 cup sugar until well blended. Add sour cream and vanilla, mixing well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition, just until blended. Pour into crust.

Bake for 1 hour, or until center is almost set. Turn oven off. Open oven door slightly. Let cheesecake set in oven for 1 hour. Remove cheesecake from oven and let cool in pan completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Loosen cheesecake from rim of the springform pan and remove rim.

Top Philly cheesecake with pie filling just before serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

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