thanksgiving - i am the cheesecake master

A few days before Thanksgiving, I asked my boyfriend's sister to help me prepare the cheesecake. After the great reviews from my last cheesecake, the Pecan Pie Cheesecake, I decided to replicate the same recipe, but tweak it a bit. By taking out the pecan-pie layer, I won't have to be scared that the crust would be too hard like last time.


Overall, it turned out great. And yes, I know- it looks almost exactly the same as the Pecan Pie Cheesecake, but without the pecan decorations. I seriously didn't have any time to try something different, or to pipe on the frosting.


Little differences from the previous cheesecake- We used well over 2 cups of graham cracker crust, when the recipe called for 1+1/2 cup- just because we love thick crusts! Also, the whipped cream has about 1 cup of brown sugar blended in- just to give it that extra brown sugar taste.


And yes, I probably can make cheesecake in my sleep now.



---RECIPE---
My version (original recipe derived from Taste of Home, recipe found here)

crust:
2 cups (about) graham crackers crumbs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine crumbs and brown sugar. Stir in melted butter. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9" spring form pan.
2. Bake for around 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

cheesecake filling:
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1+1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons AP flour
4 eggs
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
2. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Add brown sugar and flour and beat until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Stir in cream and vanilla. Pour into pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave cheesecake in oven with the door closed for 1 hour.
4. Remove from oven and run a knife along the outside edges to loosen cheesecake from sides of pan. Let cool. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.