Bea Tollman's Cheesecake

Smooth, creamy, & just sweet enough

“I’ve spent years trying and testing this recipe to ensure it produces a perfectly smooth and decadent cheesecake every time. It is a fusion of different recipes, tweaked and added to over time to get just the right, rich consistency. It has been a labor of love getting this right—I do love a good cheesecake!” 
–Bea Tollman, Celebrity Chef & Founder of Red Carnation Hotels

How to Make Bea Tollman's Chicken Soup

The Ingredients

• 3 lbs (1.35 kg) cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 6 eggs, separated (room temperature)
• 1 bourbon vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) vanilla extract
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 2 cups (450 ml) sour cream

Topping:

• 2 cups (450 ml) sour cream
• 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar

Crust:

• 1 1/4 cup (250 g) finely ground graham cracker crumbs
• 2/3 cup (130 g) white sugar
• 1 1/2 sticks (170 g) butter, melted
• 3/4 tsp (2 g) ground cinnamon (optional)

The Directions

• To make the crust, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon until well blended
• Press the mixture into an 8-inch (20-cm) springform pan, ensuring a thin, consistent layer, and bake at 375°F (190°c) for 7 minutes
• Leave to cool, and then chill for an hour
• Whip the cream cheese and half the sugar together
• Add the egg yolks, bourbon vanilla bean seeds, vanilla extract, salt, and sour cream, and whip thoroughly, scraping the bowl
• Whip the egg whites with the rest of the sugar
• Fold the whites into the cheese mixture and very gently pour into the prepared springform pan
• Wrap the bottom of the pan and place in a water bath
• Bake in the oven for an hour at 350°F (180°C), then turn off the heat and allow to remain in the oven for another hour
• Remove, cool on a rack, and then refrigerate for 12 hours

PREP TIME: 40 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 1 HOUR 7 MINUTES
SERVES: 12

Serving Suggestions for Bea Tollman's Cheesecake

• Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a fresh mint leaf
• Add seasonal fruit or berries such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, figs, peaches, etc. 
• Add cocoa to make a chocolate cheesecake
• Top with caramel sauce
• Serve as dessert or with afternoon tea

Beatrice "Bea" Tollman, President and founder of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection and TTC, published a cookbook that is her memoir of “A Life in Food.” Her book is a celebration of recipes that have either been passed down in the family or discovered while traveling, and all have been perfected from her own personal experience and expertise in the kitchen. For the enthusiastic amateur cook, the recipes are relatively quick and simple to prepare with ingredients that are easily sourced.