0 Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Make the crust...
2 Use a food processor to grind the graham crackers down to a fine crumb
3 In a large bowl, mix 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, 1/2 cup of melted butter and a pinch of your favorite warm spice in with the graham cracker crumbs until everything is evenly distributed
4 Lightly grease a deep 9" or 10" springform pan or an 11" cast iron skillet, transfer the graham cracker mixture into the pan and press out evenly throughout the bottom and sides being sure to keep the sides as thick as the bottom
5 Pre-bake the crust for 9 minutes in a 350 degree oven and then transfer onto a heat proof surface to cool while you make the cheesecake filling
Make the filling...
7 Reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees and add a deep baking vessel onto the bottom rack of your oven
8 Bring a teapot or large saucepan of water to a boil
9 In a large bowl, beat 24 ounces of room temperature cream cheese with 3/4 cup of sour cream and a cup of granulated sugar until smooth and creamy
10 Slice 1-2 vanilla bean pods in half and scrape out the seeds, add the seeds, a teaspoon of vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons of citrus juice and mix until fully combined
11 Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until they are just incorporated to avoid over mixing this filling
12 Transfer the filling into the cooled crust and use a rubber spatula to smooth the filling evenly throughout the crust
Bake the cheesecake...
14 Carefully transfer the cheesecake onto the center rack of a preheated 325 degree oven
15 Immediately pour several inches of boiling water into the baking dish on the bottom rack and close the oven door as quickly as possible
16 Bake the cheesecake for 55-65 minutes or until the outer edges look lightly puffed and set and the very center is still just a little bit jiggly
Cool the cheesecake...
18 Turn the oven off and open the door just a few inches
19 Allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour
20 After the hour, transfer the cheesecake out of the oven and let it continue to cool at room temperature for another hour before covering with foil and chilling in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight
Garnish & serve...
22 Top with fresh fruit, crumbled nuts and a drizzle of honey
