Cheesecakes are some of the most decadent deserts ever created. Because they taste so rich and creamy and look like a master chef prepared them, many people believe that they are difficult to make. In reality they are as easy to bake as falling off the proverbial log.

If you can follow directions, I mean really follow directions, then you can bake a cheesecake. Don't believe me, huh? Well since I can't crawl out of your screen and bake it for you, all I can do is ask that you give it a try. If you do, I truly believe that you'll be very pleasantly surprised.

To keep it simple as possible, let's try just a basic cheesecake recipe. A added bonus about this recipe is that it can also be used as a blueprint for more complex recipes in the future.

• Basic Cheesecake Recipe

• The Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cups of Graham Crackers crumbs

• 1/4 pound (1 Stick) of melted Butter

• 1/4 Cup of Sugar

• 4 (8 ounce) bars of softened Cream Cheese

• 1 1/2 Cup of Sugar

• 1 Tablespoon of Cornstarch

• 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

• 1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice

• 4 Eggs

• 1 Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream

First, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Next use enough of your favorite Graham crackers to make the 1 1/2 cups of a cookie crumbs. You can use a food processor or a rolling pin to crush the cookies. Take the cookie crumbs and mix them with the melted butter and sugar in a bowl using a whisk. Next spread the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with the crust mix. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes. Remove from oven and place to the side.

Next for the filling using an electric mixer, blend in the cream cheese at low speed in a mixing bowl. Use a spatula to scrape sides and paddle of mixer. Next, add in sugar slowly and continue to beat until creamy. After the sugar, add in eggs one at a time and continue to mix at the lowest speed until eggs are incorporated in the batter. Next, add in cornstarch and continue to mix. And finally add in vanilla extract, lemon juice and whipped cream and mix until well blended.

Now pour the mixture into your crust and use the offset spatula to help scoop out the batter. Bake for 1 hour or until the top is slightly brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and allow to set before removing sides of pan.

And there you have it, a simple and easy to make cheesecake. Enjoy.

Baking Tip: It's advisable to wrap the bottom of the springform pan with aluminum foil before placing anything in it. This prevents any leaks that may occur.