Serves: 2
Why This Recipe Works
True New York–style cheesecake is a beautiful thing: the dense, velvety, tangy-sweet filling is supported by a crunchy graham-cracker crust. But with a dessert this rich, a full-size cake in a two-person household will mostly go to waste. We wanted to make foolproof individual cheesecakes for two. We started with a simple graham-cracker crust, prebaked to ensure it wouldn’t turn soggy once we added the filling. We thinned the cream cheese with just a little tangy sour cream. One whole egg plus an extra yolk gave the cakes a lush texture that was dense but not heavy. A pinch of salt, a small dose of vanilla, and a squeeze of lemon juice perfected the flavors. Finally, we baked the cheesecakes using the classic New York method—first at 500 degrees to get a nicely browned top, then at 200 degrees to cook through gently.
Ingredients:
CRUST
3 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon sugar
FILLING
10 ounces cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup (2⅓ ounces) sugar
Pinch salt
4 teaspoons sour cream
½ teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
Instructions:
FOR THE CRUST: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Process graham cracker pieces in food processor to fine, even crumbs, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons melted butter and sugar over crumbs and pulse to incorporate, about 5 pulses. Divide mixture evenly between two 4½-inch springform pans. Using bottom of spoon, press crumbs firmly into even layer on bottom of pans, keeping sides as clean as possible. Bake crusts until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Let crusts cool in pans on wire rack while making filling.
FOR THE FILLING: Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Using hand-held mixer set at medium-low speed, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add 1/4 cup sugar and salt and beat until combined, 30 to 60 seconds. Scrape down bowl, add remaining sugar, and beat until combined, 30 to 60 seconds. Scrape down bowl, add sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla and beat until combined, 15 to 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl, add egg and egg yolk and beat until combined, 30 to 60 seconds.
Being careful not to disturb baked crusts, brush inside of pans with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter and place pans on rimmed baking sheet. Pour filling evenly into cooled crusts, smooth tops, and bake cheesecakes for 2 minutes. Without opening oven door, reduce temperature to 200 degrees and continue to bake until cakes register 150 degrees, 12 to 17 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking.
Let cheesecakes cool in pans on wire rack for 5 minutes, then run thin knife around edge of each cake. Let cakes continue to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Wrap pans tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours or up to 4 days.
To unmold cheesecakes, wrap hot dish towel around pans and let sit for 1 minute. Remove sides of pans. Slide thin metal spatula between crusts and pan bottoms to loosen, then slide cakes onto individual serving plates. Let cakes sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. (Cheesecakes can be made up to 3 days in advance; however, crust will begin to lose its crispness after only 1 day.)