6 graham crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
Line the inside of a 7-inch cake pan with a large piece of greased aluminum foil (greased side facing up), pushing it into all the edges of the pan. Crush the graham crackers into crumbs either by hand or with a food processor, and combine with the melted butter. Press the crumb mixture into the base of the cake pan. Refrigerate while you prepare the cheesecake batter.
Using the paddle on your stand mixer with low speed, the regular beaters on a hand mixer on low speed, or a food processor blend the cream cheese until it is completely smooth with no lumps. When all the lumps in the cream cheese have disappeared, add the sugar and vanilla extract. Blend just to incorporate the ingredients and then add the eggs one at a time. Continue to mix until the eggs have been mixed in, but do not over-beat.
Pour the batter into the cake pan with the graham cracker crust. Cover the pan tightly with more greased aluminum foil. Place a rack in the bottom of the pressure cooker. Make a sling with which to lower the cheesecake into the cooker by taking a long piece of aluminum foil, folding it in half lengthwise twice until it looks like it is about 26-inches by 3-inches. Lower the cheesecake into the cooker and onto the rack, and add enough water to cover the bottom by 1 inch. Lock the lid in place, tucking the ends of the sling into the cooker.
Pressure cook on HIGH for 20 minutes.
Let the pressure drop NATURALLY and let the cheesecake sit in the turned off pressure cooker for one hour. Carefully remove the lid and transfer the cheesecake from the cooker to the counter using the aluminum sling or rack. Let the cheesecake come to room temperature and then remove the foil from the top of the cake pan. Blot any liquid that might have condensed on the surface of the cake, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
Bring the cake to room temperature before serving, and serve with any of the compotes in this book.
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�Serving size:� Makes 1 7-inch cheesecake, serves 6
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