New York Style Cheesecake

Ingredients for Filling:

• 5 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1-3/4 cups sugar
• 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. freshly grated lemon peel
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 5 EGGS, room temperature
• 2 EGG YOLKS, room temperature
• 1/4 cup whipping cream

Ingredients for Crumb Crust:

• 2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (56 to 60 wafers)
• 2 EGGS WHITES, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. HEAT oven to 300°F.
2. CRUMB CRUST:
3. MIX vanilla wafer crumbs and egg whites in medium bowl until evenly moistened.
4. PRESS evenly and firmly against bottom and 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches up sides of greased 9-inch springform pan. REFRIGERATE.
5. COMBINE cream cheese, sugar, flour, lemon peel and vanilla in mixer bowl.
6. BEAT on low speed until blended. BEAT on high speed until fluffy. ADD 5 eggs and 2 egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. ADD cream; beat until blended. POUR into chilled crust.
7. BAKE in center of 300°F oven until wooden pick inserted midway between center and edge of cake comes out clean, about 1-1/2 hours. Center will still be soft, but will firm up as cheesecake cools.
8. REMOVE from oven; carefully loosen edge of cake from pan with metal spatula or thin knife. COOL completely in pan on wire rack.
9. REFRIGERATE, loosely covered, until firm, at least 8 hours or overnight.