Do you have a good Cheese Cake Recipe?

Years back I was a server in a good restaurant that had a pastry chef who made the best Cheese Cake I had ever tasted.
I love good cheesecake. But after trying just about every cheesecake I have come across in stores and bakeries, nothing has come close to the cheesecake I remembered.

I will try to describe it how I remember it (20+ years ago)
The cheesecake was rich, but not overly sweet.
Texture was almost crumbly.
Almost a crust, but not different, was same as rest of cheesecake.
Light golden brown coloring.
I hope I am making sense.

I was hoping for a recipe that would produce a cheesecake similar to what I remember.
Then I could say I was going to make cheesecakes for gifts, but then eat them myself instead.

Not sure if it meets your criteria, but I really like this one, with or without the cranberry topping.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Vanilla-Bean-Cheesecake-with-Cranberry-Jewel-Topping-2618

-AJ

It looks good, but what I had in mind is more like a traditional NY cheesecake without an added crust.
I remember it being taller than a normal cheesecake and just a slight crumble when you would get a piece with your fork.

Sounds a lot like an Italian cheesecake. Ricotta based for the crumble, baked in a springform pan with no crust. I don't have a recipe for one, but there are a lot out there if you do a search.

Lucretia said:

Sounds a lot like an Italian cheesecake. Ricotta based for the crumble, baked in a springform pan with no crust. I don't have a recipe for one, but there are a lot out there if you do a search.

Click to expand...

I would bet you are right.
Now I think I can narrow down my search a bit.
Thank You Lucretia

I just did a quick search and found a recipe for a Sicilian Ricotta Cheesecake.
That looks and sounds like what I was looking for.

Hope it comes out as good as you remember. If not, you'll just have to keep trying different recipes till you find one. Suffer, suffer!

I cooked my first ever cheesecake last night.
It was easier and turned out better than I had expected.

The recipe I used was for a traditional Sicilian Ricotta Cheesecake.
The texture was just like I was hoping for.
It wasn't overly sweet but still rich.
Pretty darn close to what I was remembering.

I was going to take a photo this morning but there were thieves in the night.
I will wait a couple days and then try another recipe.
I am not much for the flavored ones, but who knows what I will come across.

Recipe link? My wife's not a NY cheesecake fan, but is sorta ok w/ ricotta-based. Me? I like 'em all, but I'm not really supposed to hang around them because I seem to lack a self-restraint gene :O So if I can come up with one she likes I may be able to make one every now and then :angel2:

This is the recipe I used.
Sicilian Ricotta Cheesecake
Bear in mind that it is lighter and not as sweet as most cheesecakes.

I thought it would be really good with a sweeter topping.
Thought I would make something with some raspberries I had in the freezer.
But......when I went home for lunch most of the cheesecake was already gone.