Vermont Maple Cheesecake


Submitted By: Wayne Kreis

Ingredients

  • Crust:
  • 24 graham crackers or 31/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • Filling:
  • 32 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Instructions


    Preheat oven to 350ยบ. In a food processor, finely grind graham crackers or use the already-prepared crumbs. Melt butter. In a large bowl, stir together crumbs, butter, and 1/2 cup maple syrup. Press mixture evenly into bottom and up side of a 10-inch springform pan. Wrap bottom and side of pan in two layers of heavy-duty foil to prevent leakage.
    In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese on low speed, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, until smooth. Add 1 cup maple syrup and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cinnamon and nutmeg; mix until blended. Add vanilla and heavy cream and beat until just combined.
    Pour filling into crust and bake in middle of oven for 1 hour. Note: The cheesecake will not be set in center, but it will set as it chills. Cool cake in pan on a rack and then chill, covered, at least eight hours (better if overnight, or you can chill it for as long as four days). Remove side of pan and serve with maple syrup drizzled on top with some whipping cream.
    The cook says: The mom of one of my teammate/dormmates made a wonderful cheesecake with maple syrup that they made on their Vermont farm. This is my variation.