Mom's cheesecake

Ingredients:

Cake

• 110 g unsalted butter
• 2 cups crushed graham crackers (about 18 whole crackers)
• 2 tbsp. l. + 2 tsp. Sahara
• A pinch of fine salt
• Special equipment: springform pan with a diameter of 25 cm.

Filling

• 3 containers of 300g whipped cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 and 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 container (450 g) sour cream at room temperature
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Juice of half a lemon
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Cake:
   
   Melt the butter in the microwave. Grease a 25cm springform pan with a little butter. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining butter with the crushed crackers, sugar, and salt. Pour the mixture into the pan and press it into the bottom and up the sides by 2.5cm, trying to distribute it evenly. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Let cool. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with foil and place the pan on a baking sheet.
3. Filling:
   
   In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with a mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and mix until fully incorporated. Add the heavy cream and mix until fully incorporated. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest, if using, until fully incorporated. Do not overbeat, or the filling will turn into a soufflé!
4. Spread the filling over the crust. Bake until the cheesecake is lightly golden and just set in the center, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside with the door closed for 1 hour. It will continue to set slightly in the oven.
5. Run a thin knife or spatula between the cheesecake and the sides of the pan to prevent the filling from cracking as it cools (my mom's cheesecake usually cracked because she skipped this step). Refrigerate overnight before serving.