Baked Cheesecake
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
6 eggs, separated
1 lb cream cheese
1 lb sour cream
1 cup sugar
Juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons flour
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan and set it aside.
Put the butter into a small saucepan and melt it over low heat. You can also melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl. Add the graham cracker crumbs and stir until they are all moistened. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the spring form pan. Save a little of the crumbs to the side.
Add the egg yolks, cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and flour in a medium sized bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the ingredients together until it is light and fluffy. Set the mixture aside.
In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the cream cheese mixture until well incorporated. Pour the batter into the spring form pan, shaking to level it out. Sprinkle the remaining graham cracker crumbs on the top of the batter.
Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for one hour. After the hour has passed, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake there for an additional hour. Open the oven door and leave it ajar. Allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for an additional half hour.
You may garnish the cheesecake with your favorite fruit toppings or sprinkle it with a dusting of powered sugar or cocoa.