Mommy’s Double Crust Cheesecake

Crust 1
½ pound honey graham crackers, crumbed ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
¼ pound hazelnuts/filberts, toasted and chopped
½ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Crust 2
2 cups flour
¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon baking powder
3 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
pinch cinnamon

Cake
1 pound farmer’s cheese
1 (8-ounce) container whipped cream cheese​​
16 ounces sour cream
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup milk
2 whole eggs
pinch cinnamon (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9-inch springform pan or 9 x 13-inch baking pan well with baking spray.
2. Prepare the first crust. In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, nuts, sugars, and cinnamon. Mix until combined and press into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
3. Prepare the second crust. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all ingredients. Press ¾ of the mixture over the first crust. Bake for 20 minutes.
4. Prepare the cake batter. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine farmer’s cheese, whipped cream cheese, sour cream, sugars, cornstarch, milk, eggs, and cinnamon. Pour over crusts. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. Crumble reserved portion from crust 2 on top of cake and return cake to oven for 1¼ to 1½ hours, until slightly browned, baking in a water bath.
6. Once the cake has cooled completely, top it with dulce de leche caramel sauce or sour cream–sugar mixture and berries.

 

Yield: 1 cake