Description
The winner of the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s 2010 Annual Cheesecake Bake-Off. Homemade maple-bacon-pecan crust and candied bacon topping. This was my very first attempt at a homemade cheesecake. It won best topping, tied for best first attempt, and won overall best cheesecake!
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup real bacon bits
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 (8 ounce) package maple-cured bacon
- ½ cup maple syrup, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Mix graham cracker crumbs
- pecans
- bacon bits
- maple syrup
- butter
- vanilla extract
- and salt together in a medium bowl; mixture will be pretty dry. Press enough mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan to get a 1/4-inch-thick crust. Reserve extra crumbs for the sides and edges.
- Bake crust in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly while preparing the filling.
- Beat cream cheese
- maple syrup
- and sugar together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs one at a time
- beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add heavy cream
- vanilla
- almond
- and lemon extracts; blend until smooth and creamy. Push mixture through a sieve to ensure a smooth filling.
- Wrap outside of the pan in a double layer of foil
- covering the underside and extending all the way to the top. Set pan in a large roasting pan and pour in enough hot water to reach about halfway up the sides of the springform. Pour filling into the cooled crust.
- Bake in the preheated oven until edges are puffed and surface of cheesecake is firm except for a small spot in the center that will jiggle when the pan is gently shaken
- about 1 hour.
- Turn oven off and open door slightly. Let cheesecake cool until nearly room temperature
- 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely to room temperature
- about 20 minutes more. Refrigerate until completely chilled
- at least 4 hours but preferably 24 to 48 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two 9×13-inch baking sheets with foil. Lay bacon in a single layer on the pans. Brush about 1/4 cup maple syrup over bacon.
- Bake in the preheated oven until bacon is halfway crispy
- about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon onto a wire rack to drain the grease. Return bacon to the baking sheets and coat other side with remaining maple syrup. Continue baking until browned and crispy all over
- about 10 minutes more.
- Cool bacon on a wire rack until safe to handle. Cut into small strips and scatter over the finished cheesecake.
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins
Total Time: 6 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 12