The Circle B Kitchen Cheesepie
/
Well, here's one I'm pretty sure the kids never saw coming. For the past 40 some-odd years (yes, they actually have been odd), this particular cheesepie (aka cheesecake) has been at the center of just about every birthday and significant family celebration. And for the past 40 some-odd years I have resolutely refused to share the recipe with anyone. And not because there was anything exceptionally exotic or special about it, but because at some point I said "it's a secret" and then forever after I just had to mess with them. There have been numerous attempts to crack the code, but the recipe has remained locked in a vault that only Nancy (yes, it's YOUR recipe) has the key to.
So yeah, this is a cheesepie recipe that's been around since the 60's and may be very familiar to many of you. There have to be a zillion versions of it still floating around in the back files of many of your recipes boxes (or your Mom's or Grandmother's).
I really had thought that the recipe would most likely go to the grave with me and the kids would have to sneak out on some dark night and retrieve it from my cold, dead hands. But no, I've saved them the trouble and here it is. After all of these years, they can see how simple it is and perhaps I should have shared it long ago. But in actuality, I will confess to a bit of ambivalence about sharing it even now. But it's time to get over that because you guys (if you don't already have your own cheesepie recipe) need to make this and enjoy it and so I do it for the greater good of home cooks everywhere.
Especially if you're a cheesecake fan. It's everything you want in a cheesecake, only easier to make, creamier, and with a highly elevated degree of deliciousness. Here's the recipe...
Circle B Kitchen Cheesepie
Click here for a printable recipe
In order to ensure a smooth and creamy texture to your pie, it works best if all of your ingredients, especially the cream cheese are at room temperature. And without sounding like I'm fronting for them, you really must use Philadelphia cream cheese. I've tried making it with other brands, but it just doesn't work as well.
12 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
2 eggs
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla
Sour cream topping:
8 oz sour cream
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick cooking spray
Beat the eggs and add sugar and cream cheese and beat until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla, stir to combine and then pour into prepared graham cracker crust (see below). Bake for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile stir together the sour cream, sugar and vanilla for the topping.
After 20 minutes, remove the pie from the oven and let it cool 5 minutes. Carefully spread the sour cream mixture over the top (this can be a little tricky if the pie is still soft in the center) and then bake for another 10 minutes. Let the pie cool and then refrigerate for 5 hours.
Graham Cracker Crust
1 sleeve of graham crackers (about 10)
1/3 cup butter, melted
¼ cup sugar
Crush the graham crackers in a ziploc bag with a rolling pin, or the food processor will make quick work of it too. Place the crumbs in a bowl and add the sugar and melted butter. Mix really well and then press into the bottom and sides of a pie plate.
