Joan Nathan's Classic Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 6 eggs, separated
• 1 lb cream cheese
• 1 lb sour cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 lemon, juice of or 1-1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons flour

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 300. Grease the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

2. 2

   Melt the butter and combine with the graham cracker crumbs. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Save some crumbs.

3. 3

   Combine the egg yolks, cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and flour. Beat very well until light and fluffy.

4. 4

   Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle with the remaining graham cracker crumbs.

5. 5

   Bake 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave cake in the oven 1 additional hour. Then leave the oven door ajar 30 minutes more. (This prevents cracking).