I've got leftover white wine, sitting in the fridge awhile. My brother is bringing a friend for dinner tomorrow. Sounds like a good time to try a new cheesecake recipe. I'm going to use the recipe below as a guide. I seldom follow recipes exactly. Sometimes I don't have all the ingredients, mainly the extras. Sometimes, like now when my spring form pan is broken, I have to use some ingenuity. It's not 100% as a system, but I've gotten to the point where I understand what can be changed and what should not. Baking, especially, is a science where one thing reacts to another. So one change can cause more.

I added pickled ginger instead of vanilla. The batter was amazing! I hope it tastes as good when its cooked!

Tammy Spencer - https://www.scotchandscones.com/white-wine-cheesecake

For the filling

• 4 cups (908 grams) cream cheese, full fat (4 blocks), at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
• ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (57 grams) sour cream, full fat, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
• ⅓ cup (80 grams) white wine
• 1½ teaspoons (1 ½ teaspoons) pure vanilla extract
• 5 (250 grams) large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• toppings, like jam, fruit, and/or whipped cream, optional

Instructions

• Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 350 °F.
• Check to see if your springform pan fits in a large roasting pan (to use for the water bath). Don't worry if your roasting pan isn't big enough - you can use a 9- x 13-in roasting pan to create steam instead (see water bath instructions below).
• Make the crust: Prepare a graham cracker pie crust and press into a 9-inch round springform pan (you don't have to grease the pan first). Use a pastry tart tamper, the bottom of a measuring cup, or a straight sided glass tumbler to pack the crust down tightly.
• Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove it from the oven to cool completely.
• Make the filling: Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until it's light and fluffy. Add the granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream, white wine, and vanilla extract and beat on low speed until fully combined.
• On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until just blended. After the final egg is incorporated into the batter, stop mixing. The idea is to incorporate the eggs without adding too much air to prevent cracks later.
• Before adding the cheesecake batter to the cooled crust, use a pastry brush to spread melted butter on the inside of the pan from the top of the crust to the top edge. This helps keep any batter that rises above the crust from sticking to the pan.
• Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Use a small offset spatula or spoon to smooth it into an even layer. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles.
• Prepare the water bath: If you have a roasting pan large enough to fit your springform pan, wrap outside of the springform pan in a double layer of foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way to the top (although a good crust keeps filling from leaking out, the foil helps protect against water leaking in). Set the wrapped cheesecake in the roasting pan, and pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cheesecake (about 2 inches). Carefully transfer the roasting pan on the lower third rack in the oven.
• If you don't have a roasting pan large enough to fit your springform pan, place a 9- x 13-inch baking pan at the bottom of the oven. Pour in enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the pan. This creates steam to simulate the water bath. Put the cheesecake on the lower-third rack directly above the water-filled pan.
• Continuing: Bake the cheesecake for 55 to 70 minutes or until the center is almost set. If you notice the cheesecake browning too quickly on top, tent it with aluminum foil halfway through baking.