Cheesecake is one of my very favorite desserts to eat but I haven’t made it in years. It’s not an especially difficult dessert to make but every recipe I’ve ever read uses a springform pan and while I own one, I don’t have particularly good luck with it. Seems kind of silly maybe but that’s really the only reason I stopped making them. So when Pastry Chef Angela Ippolito, from The Cliff House at Pikes Peak, poured her cheesecake mixture into a regular baking pan, I was surprised but happy to know I didn’t have to use the dreaded springform pan. I am worried about calories now, knowing how much easier it will be for me to make this, and knowing I can’t stop with just one, or two pieces!
Chef Ippolitio uses a vanilla bean in this recipe. Vanilla beans are one of the more expensive spices but if you can afford it, it’s worth it! The grocery stores sell them but they are very expensive. I’ve paid $9 to $11 for just one at the grocery stores but Penzeys Spices (www.penzeys.com) sells them for a lot less, and I personally think they are of a better quality. You can pick up a jar of 3 beans for about $9. If vanilla beans aren’t available or not in your budget, substitute about 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract for the vanilla bean.
To use a vanilla bean…Slice the bean open lengthwise with a knife and gently scrape the seeds out.
Chef also uses lemon zest in her recipe, which infuses a wonderful citrus flavor and “brightens” up the flavor of the cheesecake. The zest is the colorful outer layer of the citrus peel. Make sure you don’t use the white pith under the peel, which is very bitter. The easiest way to zest a lemon is with a microplane, which you can find at most stores. And remember, always wash your citrus fruits before using…lots of hands have squeezed and touched those fruits!
http://www.kktv.com/cliffhousekitchen/recipes/Vanilla_Bean_Cheesecake-240364461.html