Square Cheese Cake

Graham Cracker Crust:
2 cups (200 grams) graham wafer crumbs or crushed digestive cookies
2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling:
400 grams cream cheese, softened at room temperature so it won't 'bubble' when baked
*I used Philadelphia cream cheese, more solid texture
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice / lime juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Have ready a 9 x 13 x 2 inch square baking pan that has been lined with aluminum foil across the bottom and up two opposite sides of the pan. Set aside.

Graham Cracker Crust: Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

**Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). I forget about this line, so I baked an extra 10minutes at 160 degrees C, turns out just fine, phew...

Cheesecake Filling: With electric mixer, or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed. Pour the cheesecake filling over the graham cracker base and bake for about 20 minutes or until the cheesecake batter is just set.

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Place in the refrigerator for a few hours to make the squares easier to cut (I placed it overnight & cut the next day morning). With a sharp knife, cut into 2 inch squares. Have a damp cloth on hand to wipe the knife between cuts.

Recipe adapted from http://www.joyofbaking.com/printpages/CheesecakeSquaresprint.html

Pic (top): Cheese cake fresh from oven; (bot): after over night chilling

The recipe calls for 24 square pieces but considering I need to 'serve' a lot of people, I have to cut it into 36 pieces. Brought the cakes to work & also to my Danish class. Well, my colleagues & classmates loves it. One of my colleague even complained that such a small piece is not enough...well, too bad for him :p

I like cheese cake and the whole baking process takes just about an hour to bake, so easy. I'll definitely bake it again, perhaps with some variation in taste (maybe with chocolate?), but this time, I will eat a lot myself instead of just distributing it ;)

Pic: Square cheese cake side view, yum yum...