My Mother worked as a special needs teacher at Saint Catherine's school in Philadelphia. She became friends with a parent of two autistic twins. This mother was South Philly in every way. Big hair, big attitude, larger than life. She shared this recipe with my mother and it has been a staple in our household.
- 1 lb cream cheese
- 1 lb ricotta cheese
- 6 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 lb sour cream
- Mix cream cheese & ricotta cheese together till smooth.
- Add eggs one at a time beating thoroughly after each egg.
- Add sugar, flour, corn starch, vanilla, and lemon juice.
- Beat in sour cream.
- Pour mixture in a spring form pan.
- (optional) dust top with cinnamon.
- Bake at 350°F (176°C) for 1 hour.
- Turn off oven and leave cheesecake in oven for 1 additional hour.
- Remove and let fully cool (1-3 hours)
I've cooked this with and without a Bain Marie. With will give you a denser consistency (still rather light) and a flat professional appearance. Without will cause the cake to rise more, the consistency will be lighter, the outside will brown a bit, the center will crack, and it will look more rustic. Either option is delicious and mostly an aesthetic choice.
A note on flavor. This cake will bloom over time. It is delicious on day 1, but day 2 it will have gone through some alchemical transformation where the flavor really blooms. Make sure you keep some leftovers to find out for yourself.
Thanks for the awesome recepie!