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Emilio's Cheesecake



Emilio's Cheesecake
Source: Maida Heatter's Cakes (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2011 ed.), pg. 142 and Maida Heatter's Book of Great American Desserts (Alfred A. Knopf, 1982, pg. 244).

This is an unusual cheesecake in that it has no crust and is made in a 13x9 pan. It was first published in the New Yorker magazine in 1971 and was a famous recipe by Emilio Braseco in New York.

Maida notes that a friend (from Alabama!) says that it is better after being refrigerated for 3 days. I think the friend was correct because it is tastier after a day or two. It is very creamy and has a distinct lemon flavor. I would recommend serving this with fruit or whipped cream.

2 pounds Philadelphia Cream Cheese (at room temperature)
1 stick unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 TBS. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup less 1 TBS. cornstarch
7 eggs
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup lemon juice

16-24 portions

Preheat the oven to 350 and adjust rack one third down from the top. Butter a 13x9x2 inch pan and set aside.

Beat the cream cheese and butter until it is soft and smooth.

 
Add the vanilla...


And the sugar...

And the cornstarch.


On low speed, beat in the eggs one at a time.


Add the cream slowly.

Add the lemon juice, beating only to mix.

Spray the bottom of the buttered pan.

Pour the mixture into the pan.

Place the pan in a larger pan (I used a jelly-roll pan) and place in the oven. Pour hot water into the bottom pan about 1 inch deep.


Place the pan in a larger pan (I used a jelly-roll pan) and place in the oven. Pour hot water into the bottom pan about 1 inch deep.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, then increase the temperature to 375 and bake an additional 10-15 minutes (for a total of 40-45 minutes). Carefully remove the pans from the oven and take the cake pan out of the water bath. Let the cake sit until the bottom of the pan is cool.
Cover the top of the cake pan with a board or tray and carefully invert so that the cake falls out of the pan. Refrigerate as is.


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Comments

Lindsey @ American Heritage Cooking said…
What a unique cheesecake! And better after 3 days? That sounds like the perfect make-ahead dessert to me!
April 5, 2014 at 6:21 AM
Emily said…
Oh My! This is amazing!
November 27, 2015 at 1:27 AM
wandernotlost said…
Just tasted this and it is divine. So creamy and smooth, and great for gluten-free friends.
January 12, 2018 at 6:36 PM
Anonymous said…
Doesn’t say what to do with that stick of butter
October 4, 2022 at 9:49 AM
Phillip Oliver said…
Terribly sorry about that - the butter is mixed with the cream cheese at the beginning. I've made the correction.
November 6, 2022 at 10:09 PM
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