What you need
Crust
Filling (all at room temperature)
How I make it
The day before
Put the cream cheese in a fine sieve and let it drain in the fridge for a day. Use only 1225 g (2.7 lb) of the drained cheese.
Crust
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and grease a 9-inch (24 cm) springform pan.
In a food processor, pulse the butter, sugar and flour into coarse crumbs.
Add the vanilla and yolks and process briefly, just until a dough forms.
Press the dough into the bottom of the pan with your hands and prick with a fork.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until light golden. Cool in the pan on a rack.
Filling and baking
Raise the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
In a stand mixer with the paddle, beat the cheese with the vanilla and zests on low speed for 1-2 minutes, just until smooth.
Add the cream and mix briefly until combined. Finally, add the flour gradually.
In another mixer bowl, beat the eggs, yolks and sugar on medium-high speed for 8-10 minutes, until thick and pale.
Stir about a third of the beaten eggs into the cheese mixture with a spatula, then fold in the rest until smooth.
Pour over the crust and set the springform on a flat baking sheet.
Bake for about 11 minutes. The cake will rise a little and stay pale.
Immediately lower the oven to 210°F (100°C). It helps to open the oven door a little for 30-60 seconds so the temperature drops fast.
Bake for about 40 minutes more, or longer, until the top looks pale and dry, the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly.
Cooling and serving
Turn off the oven, open the door slightly and leave the cake inside until completely cool.
Run a small knife around the edge to release it, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Take out of the fridge about 20 minutes before serving and slice with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry.
What I've learned
- I don't overbeat the cheese mixture once the cream is in. Overbeating ruins the texture.
Source: ChefEf (chefef.com)