Aunt Ruth's Famous Butterscotch Cheesecake
Aunt Ruth was our nanny when I was little. She made this cheesecake often, many times as an after school project so I could help her. It was torture when my sister and I had to wait until the next day to have a piece since it had to chill overnight. Recently I visited my old neighborhood and stopped by her house. Sure enough, she offered me a piece of her wonderful cheesecake. I made sure to leave with a copy of the recipe! Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
Aunt Ruth was our nanny when I was little. She made this cheesecake often, many times as an after school project so I could help her. It was torture when my sister and I had to wait until the next day to have a piece since it had to chill overnight. Recently I visited my old neighborhood and stopped by her house. Sure enough, she offered me a piece of her wonderful cheesecake. I made sure to leave with a copy of the recipe! Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
- Carbohydrate 67.16727875 g
- Cholesterol 765.908425 mg
- Fat 187.986291083333 g
- Fiber 0.429626677914461 g
- Protein 39.9502104166667 g
- Saturated Fat 105.083461116667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (638g)
- Sodium 2180.09031666667 mg
- Sugar 66.7376520720856 g
- Trans Fat 26.5570968 g
- Calories 2085 calories
Step-by-step
- Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
- In a small bowl, whisk the milks and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in pudding and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.
- Bake at 325(F)deg; for 65-75 minutes or until center is almost set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Garnish with whipped cream and crushed butterscotch candies if desired.
Cream cheese requires complete thermal stabilization to achieve a sliceable structure rather than a soft custard. Butterscotch additions originated from mid-century packaged pudding developments that permanently altered home baking repertoires. Tight aluminum foil wrapping prevents water ingress during the bain-marie phase. Pouring precisely one inch of hot water into the outer roasting pan stabilizes the ambient oven heat at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Beat the eggs only until incorporated to prevent excess air incorporation that causes surface cracking.
The Mechanics of the Water Bath
Baking dense batters inside a springform pan demands absolute moisture exclusion. Heavy-duty aluminum foil must be doubled and pressed tightly against the exterior seam. Liquid infiltration ruins the bottom crust instantly. Removing the pan promptly after sixty-five minutes stops the thermal carryover cooking.
- Ensure cream cheese reaches room temperature to eliminate lumps before adding the pudding mix.
- Run a thin metal spatula around the interior ring after ten minutes of cooling to prevent cracking as the center contracts.
- Store covered in refrigeration for up to four days to develop the proper firm crumb profile.
