A creamy and delicious cheesecake with a crumbly, sweet graham cracker crust with just a pinch of cinnamon is baked in a 9-inch springform pan. This cheesecake is very easy to make and only requires a few minutes of hands-on work. A water-bath for baking is preferred. Instructions for making a water bath are below. The sauce I used on this cheesecake is my Raspberry Coulis - and the recipe can be found on this website.
Wrap the exterior of the base of the springform pan with aluminum foil. The foil should cover the entire base of the pan and go up the sides of the pan a couple of inches.
Preparing the graham cracker crust:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor. Pulverize the crumbs. Add melted butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar to the food processor. "Whir" until all are combined and you have a mixture that resembles slightly damp sand.
Pour all of the graham cracker mixture into the pan and using your hands, press the mixture onto the base of the pan then up the sides of the inside of the pan.
Bake the crust only at 400° for about 10 minutes.
Cheesecake Filling
Reduce the temperature of the oven to 325°F. In a clean food processor (be sure to clean it after mixing your crumb mixture) add the cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, sugar, vanilla and corn starch all at once. "Whir" until you have a smooth, creamy mixture.
Pour the mixture into the par-baked crust. Place the large pan (for water bath) in the oven. Boil about a quart of water. Place the springform pan in the larger pan that's already in the oven. Pour boiling hot water in the larger pan, so it surrounds the springform pan. Close the oven door and bake the cheesecake for about 45 minutes.
To prevent cracking:
To prevent the cheesecake from cracking, after the 45 minute baking time, leave the cheesecake (and water bath) in the oven and turn the oven off. Crack the door of the oven and let the cheesecake come back to room temperature over approximately three hours. Chill immediately after the cheesecake has reached room temperature.
To store:
Keep cheesecake in the refrigerator, covered, for up to a week. Serve chilled. You can also freeze the cheesecake for up to three months - just be sure to wrap the cheesecake with two layers of plastic wrap, then two layers of aluminum foil. Defrost at room temperature for about 8 hours before serving.