Simply the Best Cheesecake

Cheesecake was definitely one of the hardest things for me to get right. I've made so, so many cheesecakes in the past, none of which I was completely satisfied with. Back then I over-mixed the batter, which made the batter watery and gross. After that I could never figure out how long to really bake the cake. It just never seemed to set properly. When the cake did set, the top would always crack and it would look like the earth opened up and swallowed it.

But this time was better. I baked the cake in a water bath and let the residual heat set the rest of the cake. I was glad that it turned out so perfectly. I baked this for Tim's 20th birthday so I didn't bother too much with getting a good picture. Take my word for it though-- it's delicious. The real picture is at the bottom.

The Best Cheesecake

• 15 crushed graham crackers
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
  
  
• 4 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, slightly softened
  
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 eggs
  
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flor

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) with a pan of water. Grease a 9 inch springform pan.
   
2. Combine crushed graham crackers and butter. Press onto bottom of pan.
   
3. Cream together sugar and cream cheese.
4. Add milk, vanilla, incorporate slowly. Then add sour cream and eggs. Lastly add in flour.
5. Use aluminum foil to wrap the bottom of the pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes in the water bath. Without opening the oven, turn it off and let the cake continue to bake in there for 3-4 hours. Remember to let the cake cool before refrigerating or freezing.