JUNIOR'S CHEESECAKE CRUST

Junior's Cheesecake Crust image

Number Of Ingredients 9

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Ingredients

1/3 cup Sifted cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt
2 Eggs
1/3 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 drops Lemon Extract
2 tablespoons Unsalted butter (melted)
1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tartar

Steps:

In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high for 3 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and beat until thick light yellow ribbons form, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the extracts.
Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand, just until no more white flecks appear. Now, blend in the melted butter.
Now, wash the mixing bowl and beaters really well (if even a little fat is left, it can cause the egg whites not to whip). Put the egg whites and cream of tartar into a bowl and beat with the mixer on high until frothy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites will stand up and look glossy, not dry). Fold about one-third of the whites into the batter, then the remaining whites. Don't worry if you still see a few white specks, as they'll disappear during baking.
Gently spread the batter over the bottom of the pan, and bake just until set and golden (not wet or sticky), about 10 minutes. Touch the cake gently in the center. If it springs back, it's done. Watch carefully and don't let the top brown. Leave the crust in the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Leave the oven on while you prepare the batter.
For a dark chocolate sponge cake crust: Just stir in two ounces of melted and slightly cooled bittersweet chocolate when you add the extracts.
Note: Bake the cheesecake crust in the same springform pan you're using for the cheesecake. Watch the crust closely; since it's so think, it only needs 10 to 12 minutes to bake.
Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides. Make and bake the cake crust and leave it in the pan. Keep the oven on.