River Road Cheesecake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs or 1 1/2 cups finely crumbed vanilla wafers
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (chilled cream cheese results in a grainy texture)
4 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
Topping
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 ounces sour cream

Preparation

Preheat over 350 degrees.
Butter bottom of 9\" springform pan. Mix together crust ingredients and press onto bottom of pan.
Cream the cream cheese with electric mixer until light and fluffy (medium speed for 8-10 minutes); add 3/4 cup sugar. Beat until incorporated, occasionally scraping sides of bowl.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing just until blended.
Stir in vanilla extract. Pour into prepared pan; bake approximately 35-40 minutes. Approximately three inches from the sides should be firm with the center jiggly.
In the meantime, in a small bowl combine topping ingredients and stir until sugar dissolves; set aside.
After baking remove pan from oven and carefully spread sour cream topping beginning from the outer edge towards center. Return to oven for 10 minutes; remove and let cool to room temperature. Chill.