Buttermilk Cheesecake

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First of all, I miss this place:
(Those who are familiar with Lexington area, guess where this crazy color horse is at)
Last Friday all the dietetic interns took a practice registered dietitian exam to see how much materials we remember. I did study for a few days before the internship started and probably due to getting a master's degree, I managed to get a barely passing score of 64%. Phew....but I still have long ways to go. I start off with community rotations next week and throughout the semester, I will be going to WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), different nursing homes, and other community-based nutrition programs.

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I have made lots of cookies, a few cakes, and many other baking experiment since I began to bake 4-5 years ago. But cheesecake is something I have never attempted to make. I associate cheesecake with dessert that you order at fancy white table cloth restaurants. At least that was how I had cheesecakes growing up (There is no Cheesecake Factory in Hong Kong). Finally the other night my roommate and I made this simple and classic cheesecake with graham cracker crust.

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My roommate and I were amazed how our first made-from-scratch cheesecake turned out. It was perfection. Not a single crack or discoloration.

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I was worried about cracking on top of the cheesecake. After some googling, I learned that cheesecakes require lots of love and attention. To prevent cracking, one can 1) bake cheesecake in water bath, 2) avoid over-baking, 3) after baking loosen up the cheesecake from the springform pan since cheesecake tend to pull towards the middle during cooling. And there are many more reasons.

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Buttermilk Cheesecake
Recipe from Edible Communities

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for crust) + 1 cup sugar (for cheesecake)
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
Zest of 2 lemons, grated
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 10-inch springform pan.
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, cornmeal, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 3 ounces of melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Bake for approximately 10 minutes until lightly golden. Reserve.
3. Cream the room-temperature butter and cream cheese with the lemon zest and 1 cup sugar until smooth. Add buttermilk and vanilla. Beat, scraping the bowl occasionally, until well combined. Add the eggs and slowly beat just to combine. Do not over mix.
4. Pour into the reserved crust. Bake for 25 minutes, then turn oven down to 300° and bake for an additional 25 minutes, then turn oven to the lowest setting and bake until done.
5. Serve with strawberry jam or other fruity syrup.

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