| 1. |
With an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and Splenda at slow to medium speed, scraping sides often. Add all other ingredients except eggs. |
| 2. |
When completely mixed (with no lumps), add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating very slowly. |
| 3. |
When eggs are incorporated, do not mix any more. Over mixing the eggs is a contributing cause of cracked cheesecakes. |
| 4. |
Pour the mixture into the springform pan. Place the pan on a very large piece of aluminum foil, and fold the foil up around the pan to create a watertight barrier around the cheesecake. |
| 5. |
Then place the barrier pan in an even larger pan and fill the larger pan halfway with water. This is called a water bath. It is a gentler way to cook the cheesecake. |
| 6. |
Place the entire water bath containing the cheesecake in a 300° F (150° C) pre-heated oven. |
| 7. |
Cook for 1 hour and reduce heat to 200° F (90° C) for 1 more hour. |
| 8. |
Turn oven off and leave cheesecake in until the oven is completely cool. The cheesecake can even be left overnight at this point. Cracks can also occur when a cheesecake cools too quickly. |
