Best New York Cheesecake

Preparation

1. Leave cream cheese at room temperature until it gets soft.
2. Prepare hot water for a water batch.
3. Melt butter.
4. Coat a thin layer of soft butter inside the 9-inch pan. (The cheesecake comes out from the pan more easily when a thin layer of butter is applied.)

Cheesecake Crust

1. Crush graham crackers in a ziplock with a rolling pin (or use a food processor). Leave some pieces in them for a better texture instead of crushing the crackers completely and making them powdery.
2. Mix melted butter, crushed graham crackers, and sugar in a bowl until evenly incorporated.
3. Press it on the prepared pan with something solid and flat, like a measuring cup, to form a crust. The crust could fall apart later if you don't press it enough.

-Cover the sides of the pan with a few layers of aluminum foil (or an oven bag). Do this very gently to prevent the foil from getting torn and causing water leaks (hence a soggy crust!)

4. Chill it in the fridge until right before use.
5. Optional: Bake (Preheated) at 340ºF (171ºC) for about 7 - 8 mins until the edges are slightly golden brown. Let it cool completely before use.

Cheesecake Filling

1. Mix cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth.
2. Add granulated sugar and mix until smooth.
3. Add sour cream and heavy cream. Mix well until smooth. Scrape off the sides and bottom of a bowl to ensure everything is evenly blended.
4. Add cornstarch and mix well until you don't see lumps.
5. Add yolks and whole eggs. Mix well until evenly incorporated. Do not whip a lot to prevent it from holding too many air bubbles inside.
6. Add vanilla extract and lemon juice and mix until combined. Scrape off the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula at the end to ensure everything is blended evenly.

Baking

1. Preheat oven to 340ºF (171ºC)
2. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan.
3. Lay a thin towel or kitchen paper on a roasting pan and place the cheesecake pan on top of it.
4. Place it on an oven rack and pour hot water on a roasting pan up to about ⅓ of the height of a springform pan.
5. Bake (Preheated) at for 30 mins with a water bath.
6. Turn it down to 310ºF (154ºC) and bake for another 65 - 75 minutes until the surface of the cheesecake wobbles like pudding or jello when tapping the side gently. Do not open the oven door frequently to get the best result.
7. Turn off the heat, leave it open about an inch with a wooden spoon, and wait for 30 minutes before taking it out from the oven. This will ensure the cheesecake is cooked through the center.
8. Let the cheesecake cool on a cooling rack. Chill in the fridge for more than 6 hours before removing it from a pan.