First things first:  Don’t let the name fool you—this is a cheesecake.  It’s got cream cheese, sugar, eggs, some other shit and a graham cracker crust.  It’s cheesecake, and it’s good.

A caveat before we get started:  The sour cream topping made more than could be used, so I saved it and used it as a sauce over each slice.  Glorious.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Crust:

1 ¾ Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs

6 Tbsp. Butter, melted

¼ Cup Sugar

¼ Cup Pecans, chopped (optional)

Filling:

16 oz. Cream Cheese

½ Cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla

Topping:

1 Pint Sour Cream

¼ Cup Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

To make the crust, mix together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar and optional nuts.  Press into the bottom and sides of a pie pan.

To make filling, beat cream cheese while adding sugar in a steady stream.  Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla, and beat for a few minutes.  Stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat again until light and fluffy.  Pour into shell and bake in a 350-degree oven for 25 minutes.  Allow torte cheesecake to cool.

To make topping, beat together sour cream, sugar and vanilla until sugar dissolves.  Spread on top of torte cheesecake.

Bake in a 400-degree oven for an additional ten minutes.  Let cool before refrigerating.

This dessert is most excellent and I will be making it again.  If I will be serving it to someone I will not be calling this cheesecake a torte because it is a cheesecake.