Cheesecake (made in the crock-pot)

I don't know what it is about cheesecake, but I have never had any success making it.  Granted, the last time I tried to make it was probably 12 years ago.  When I first started getting into baking I tried to make cheesecake and it was a total disaster.  The water bath leaked into my pan and it was a total mess.  The next time I tried it I think it was a faulty recipe or something because the flavor and texture were just not right.  After those two failed attempts I decided it would be a long time, if ever, that I would try making cheesecake again.  I'm sure my thighs were thanking me anyway.

However, I recently came across a recipe for cheesecake made in the crock pot, which I found to be very intriguing.  Could this be the method that I need to achieve cheesecake success?  I printed out the recipe and set it aside for a while, pulling it out every once in a while pondering whether or not to give it a try.  Finally this weekend I decided to do just that.  Now, I know I've been posting a lot of crock pot recipes lately, but really for the most part, I don't use mine that often.  Fingers and toes crossed that this would not be yet another cheesecake disaster.

I did not use a spring-form pan (I think the ones I have must not be very good and I didn't want leaking to occur again).  It was a little challenging finding a pan that would fit in my crock pot while still leaving enough room around all sides so it could sit in a water bath.  The original recipe must have been for a larger crock pot than the one I have, so I had to make some adjustments in order to make it work (I have a 4 quart crock pot).  I have to say that I was VERY impressed with the results!  It really came out perfectly....and I will be the first to admit that I was shocked!  It was the perfect size for the three of us also - I really didn't want it to be so big that it would be sitting around all week tempting me every day.  This lasted the three of us for 2 days, which was just right.  I was so thrilled with the results, I may even be inspired enough to try making it in the oven again......we'll see.

Cheesecake in the Crock-pot (adapted from www.crockpotladies.com)

2, 8 oz packages of cream cheese, at room temp
2 eggs, at room temp
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tbsp sugar

Mix the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until well blended.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until blended before adding the the second egg.  Mix in the vanilla.  In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and 1 tbsp of sugar.  Add the melted butter and stir with a fork until well blended.  

Spray a 7 1/2" x 5 1/2 " round pan with cooking spray (you may have to adjust your pan size to fit your crock-pot).  Press the graham cracker crumb mixture into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan - make sure you have a smooth even layer.  Pour in the cream cheese mixture, and carefully place the pan into your crock-pot.  Carefully pour water into the bottom of your crock-pot - enough water so that it goes about halfway up the outside of the pan.  Place lid on the crock-pot and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours, or until the center is set.  Remove the pan from the crock-pot and let it cool for about an hour before transferring to the refrigerator.  Chill in fridge for at least an hour before serving.