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This cheesecake is a recipe from Saint Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson, New York. I worked there as a registered nurse and this cheesecake was made every Friday. It was (and probably still is) a favorite recipe of the whole staff of Saint Charles.
I would like to dedicate this to the doctors, nurses, and staff at Saint Charles Hospital. This cheesecake has been the family favorite for many years. — Jodi Squires Fitzgerald, RN, JD
A special “Thank you” to EH Stafford for using this cheesecake recipe to show each step in the baking process.
CRUST
1 box vanilla wafers (12 oz) crushed
½ cup ground walnuts
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ pound melted butter or margarine (plus a little extra to grease the pan)
Placed crushed wafers in a bowl. Add cinnamon, nuts and melted butter. Mix well. Press down and let set about 5 minutes before lining sides and bottom of pan. Save some to sprinkle on top of cake.
FILLING
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup sugar
1 pound (16 oz.) Philadelphia cream cheese (cut into chunks)
1½ pints (24oz.) sour cream
Beat 3 eggs at high speed until thick. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla, ½ teaspoon almond extract and 1 cup of sugar. Start mixing at low speed. Slowly add the cream cheese chunks. When mixed, beat at high speed until its smooth.
Fold in 1 ½ pints of sour cream for 5 minutes with a spatula. Pour into a lightly greased (with butter) spring-form cake pan. Add remaining crumbs on top. Bake at 350-375 for 50 minutes. Do not over bake! (Should jiggle a little.) Remove from oven and cool at room temperature. Refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving.
To serve, remove spring-form and leave cake on the bottom of the pan. Do not try to remove the entire cake from the bottom of the pan at one time. Note: This cake freezes well.
This recipe is not difficult, but it requires a little patience with the various mixing stages. It is vital to let the cheesecake cool completely before refrigerating. In addition, it is important to refrigerate for about 24 hours. The refrigeration is what sets the cake. With taking photos, the actual process of making the cake took about 2 hours. It was the first time, I have ever made a cheesecake and it tasted delicious. Both Jodi and I hope you give it a try. —Ellen Stafford.
A special shout out to Jodi Fitzgerald for the recipe & EH Stafford for the photos and the cheesecake
