Description
The perfect ultra-creamy, sky-high New York-style vanilla cheesecake with vanilla bean-specked sour cream topping. Use creme fraiche in place of the sour cream for even more decadence!
Ingredients
Scale
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST:
- 1–3/4 cups (230 grams) graham cracker crumbs (or about 15 graham crackers, processed to crumbs in a food processor)
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (60 grams) butter, melted
FILLING:
- 2 pounds (900 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1–1/3 cups (270 grams) granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup sour cream OR crème fraiche, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
TOPPING:
- 1 cup sour cream or crème fraiche
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Half of vanilla bean, seeds scraped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt and melted butter, stirring until crumbs are completely wet. Press the graham cracker crumbs into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9 x 3-inch round cake pan. Bake the crust for 10 to 12 minutes, until set and slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- While the crust cools, make the filling: Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until completely smooth and creamy. For the entire process of making the filling, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and the beater frequently; this will ensure a completely smooth and homogenous filling. Add the sugar and beat for another 4 minutes. Add the salt and vanilla, beating to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after you add each egg. Once the eggs are incorporated, add the sour cream, beating until incorporated. Lastly, add the heavy cream and again beat until incorporated.
- Preheat the oven to 325°. When the crust has cooled, pour the filling into the prepared pan, gently wiggling the pan to remove any air bubbles. Transfer the cake pan into a slightly larger round cake panor a large roasting pan and place the pan in the oven. Pour 6 to 8 cups of hot tap water into the roasting pan, ensuring the water comes about halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake for 1-1/2 hours, until the cheesecake is set but the middle is still slightly jiggly. Turn off the oven, crack the door about 1 inch, and let the cheesecake cool for 1 hour in the oven.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Transfer the cheesecake, uncovered, to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours. Once the cheesecake is completely chilled, you can cover the top with aluminum foil.
- To unmold the cheesecake, run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen from the sides. Place the cheesecake over medium-low heat, moving the pan around often, for about 45 seconds to 1 minute to loosen the bottom crust (this will melt the butter slightly, but don’t keep it over the heat too long!). Alternatively, you can place the cheesecake in a large pan of hot water to loosen the bottom. Carefully invert the cheesecake onto a cardboard round or flat surface slightly larger than the cheesecake, and quickly invert right-side-up onto your serving plate or cake stand. Let the crust set up at room temperature for about 30 minutes before transferring to the refrigerator.
- In the meantime, prepare the topping: Mix all the ingredients together until completely smooth. Top the cheesecake with the mixture, spreading to cover the top, and return to the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour to set the topping.
Notes
Inspiration: Perfect Cheesecake on simplyrecipes.com
- Category: Cheesecake