Cooking With Gas ~ Famous Cheesecake

Rae was bent over, slicing something, when I stopped by the other day. I leaned over her shoulder and saw a beautiful cheesecake she'd made the day before. Rae said they have to refrigerate overnight, then be brought to room temperature before they are ready to eat.

I was drooling, so when she offered me a piece, I quickly said yes.

This was her Nana Green's recipe which she swore came from the now defunct, but once prestigious restaurant, Lindy's, in New York City. Seems one of Nana's good friends retired near her in Baltimore, and had once been responsible for making the famous cheesecake.

It needed no fruit toppings. Delicate flavors of citrus, vanilla, and the delicious cookie-like crust were all that was required.

Rae said Thanksgiving made her think of her grandmother’s cheesecake, because she always brought it for Thanksgiving dinner, to spoil her son.

“I think it’s all he looked forward to that day.” Rae smiled. “I wish I had a picture of his face, when the meal was finally done, and he could get himself a big piece of this cheesecake.”

We sat with our plates and Rae looked thoughtful. “The last nice thing I did for my father was make him this for Father’s Day.” She took a bite and stared at something past my shoulder. “My Dad never outgrew his love for Lindy’s Cheesecake, and you know what?” She looked in my eyes. “I think that’s one of the nicest things I can say about anybody.”

Lindy's Famous Cheesecake (we think)

Have all ingredients at room temperature.

Crust:
11/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 generous teaspoon lemon zest
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup butter

Combine all ingredients with mixer until ball is formed. Grease bottom and sides of 9 inch springform pan. Remove sides of spingform pan and using 1/3 of crust, pat onto bottom of pan. Bake in 400 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Let cool.

While the bottom is baking, take rest of crust, slice into thirds and roll out between two pieces of waxed paper. You want three strips, about 3 to 4 inches wide and 8 to 9 inches long. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour while making cheesecake mix.

Cheesecake:
Put sides back on springform pan. Place crust on sides, overlapping and squishing together as needed.
Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees

In stand mixer, place:
5 - 8 oz.  packages of cream cheese
2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup heavy cream

Mix all ingredients until well combined, pour into springform pan and bake 10 minutes and reduce heat to 250 degrees and bake for 1 hour.

Let rest overnight, refrigerated, and bring to room temperature before serving.

Look for more recipes from Rae, owner and operator of The Sea Witch Saloon and Grill, in Elvy Howard's debut novel, Love on a Half Shell, coming winter 2013 from Edward Allen Publishing, LLC.