Pagliacci's New York Cheesecake

This recipe was given to Bon Appetit magazine by the renowned Victoria, B.C. restaurant, Pagliacci's. It's been an institution in that beautiful city for decades and this cheesecake is just one of the menu items people can't get enough of. It's a deceptively simple and decadent treat. Easily adapts to low carbing by substituting Splenda (or Davinci's Syrup) for the sugar, a nut crust for the crumb one and omitting the flour. My second favourite cheesecake of all time.

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• Crust

• 1 1⁄4 cups  graham wafer crumbs (I prefer vanilla wafer crumbs)
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup butter, melted

• Filling

• 40  ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 2  tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2  teaspoons vanilla
• 1 3⁄4 cups sugar
• 3  tablespoons flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 5  eggs
• 2  egg yolks
• 1⁄4 cup  whipping cream

Directions

1. Mix crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter and press into a 10" spring form pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Preheat oven to 500º.
3. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer in large bowl until very smooth. Blend in lemon juice and vanilla. Sift sugar, flour and salt together and gradually beat into cheese. Beat until creamy, smooth and light, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs and yolks one at a time. Blend in cream. Pour into crust.
4. Bake 12 minutes.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 200º. Continue baking until tester inserted in centre comes out clean. The original recipe said for 45 minutes but I find (having made this at least 30 times in two different ovens) that it takes about 90 minutes.
6. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan. Cool cake completely and refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving.