Merry Christmas To Me CHEESECAKE.......Oh the Guilt!

We moved back to Kansas in 1992 when my daughter was just a few months old.  After living in Southern California for years, it was good to be back home.

Living in a little rented house, with a newborn and a husband working long & late hours, you can probably guess what I did most of the time. 

Our first Christmas back in Kansas I was out shopping, as one does, and I found a simply wonderful little cookbook.  It was not the time to buy anything for myself, after all I had a little wee one to buy for. I mean honestly, who goes Christmas shopping and buys something for their self?

I stood there, pouring over the recipes, falling in love with every turn of the page, until it dawned on me.

Merry Christmas To Me!  It was the only way I could justify buying this for myself. I even signed it, to me from me. It was my first trip down "guilty lane" as a new mother.  Oh the guilt I had for spending money on myself.  What kind of mother was I?  How dare I do this!

That guilt soon disappeared when I made the most decadent thing I've ever tasted from the first recipe I tried.

I have made this over and over again the following years after that guilt-ridden purchase, and each time, it has turned out as Divine as the very first time.
I'm telling you right now, I don't care what kind of diet you are on, or you think you want to be on;
This CHEESECAKE will make you throw your guilt right out the diet window.

It is worth every single, solitary, decadent, heavenly bite!

Who would have thought, these characters below could be so Decadent? (Remember...NO GUILT)

UPON COMPLETION PLEASE KEEP REFRIGERATED AND SERVE COLD!
I can't stress this enough!

Crust:
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp. Sugar
3 Tbsp. butter, melted

Cheesecake:
3 (8 ounce) cubes cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 c, sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 large egg whites

Topping:
1 c. sour cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Spring Form pan

CLICK HERE for Printable Recipe.


Now don't be intimidated by a Spring Form pan.  For years I didn't really know what one was.  All I knew was it had some sort of contraption on the side of the pan that looked dangerous.

All it is, is a pan with two parts; a bottom, and then a side, that opens and closes with a clasp.  The clasp looks like this:

We are going to start by making the crust. Assemble the pan so that the bottom is firmly placed and the side contraption is closed.

In the bottom of the pan, pour the crushed graham crackers and sugar. Mix around so all is incorporated.  Then add the melted butter.  With your hands (it's the only way really) sort of mush it and press it around to form a crust, covering the entire bottom of the pan.  If you have to go up the sides a bit, that's good too.

Now place the pan, with your wonderful crust, in the oven at 325 for 10 minutes.  Take out and set aside.

Now turn down oven to 300.

In the meantime, mix together your cream cheese, sugar, and lemon juice.

Then one by one, add your egg whites.  You might have to scrape the sides of your bowl if you are using a Kitchen Aide type mixer.

Be sure to get every last drop off the mixer.  As you can see, I use my trusty mini red spoonula.  As I've said before in posts, I love this little guy!  It's a mini version of a rubber spatula and oh so useful.

Now gently pour the batter into the crust. spreading around to the edges of the pan.  I use my mini spoon-spatula  for this too.

Now pop this baby into the oven for 60 minutes at 300 degrees.

Now once this jewel is just about done, take a bowl and combine the topping ingredients.  Sour cream, sugar and vanilla.

Again, LOVE this little guy to stir it all around.

Take out the cheesecake from the oven, and gently spread the sour cream topping on the top.
Back into the oven for 12 minutes.

Take out and leave on counter to cool for about 20 minutes.  Then place the entire thing, with the side of the pan still in place, in the fridge for 8 hours, or over-night preferably.

The next day, get ready for your guilt to go out the window. 

Take out of fridge, and you will see the cheesecake has started to pull away from the sides.  Gently unhook the latch thingy contraption, and gently take the side off.

Oh my stars.

Oh my stars.

I don't even know what to say right now.

I have been making this cheesecake for close to 19 guilt-free years and every single time it has turned out PERFECT.

If you are a cheesecake lover, and I mean a TRUE cheesecake lover, you will appreciate this recipe and be proud.  Very proud.

Many times I think I'm gonna put some sort of fruit or chocolate ganache topping on this beauty, but I take one bite and decide against it.  No need my friend....no need!

So when you are out Christmas shopping this year, and you find something that you really want to buy yourself (within reason of course) take it from this guilty mother, go ahead and buy it.  It could turn out to be one of the best Christmas presents to yourself you've ever bought.

And as you can see, this recipe has been giving me guilt free pleasure for years and years and years, and I have the food stained pages to prove it.