Hello, friends! Have I got an amazing recipe for you. The most perfect, creamy, silky, delicious cheesecake of all time. Tested and perfected. Being the Golden Girls lover that I am, would you expect any less?
The trick to creating this masterpiece is the baking method. A little lower and longer than your average recipe, over a pan of steamy water, and cooled slowly over time. Trust me. This is the ticket to a divine, crack free cheesecake.
In the past I have tried wrapping my springform pan in layers of foil, and baking it in a roasting pan of boiling water...only to have the crust turn out soggy, because there will inevitably be a leak somewhere. By placing the pan of water on a rack underneath the cheesecake, you completely eliminate this problem, while still adding much needed moisture to your oven. The lower baking temp also aids in the retention of moisture.
Another key element to this recipe is the crust. I decided to increase the amount of butter I had been using, and also forgo the prebaking. The result is a firmer, less fragile crust, that stands up to refrigeration with an exceptional texture.
The most difficult part of this recipe is seriously the wait. I can be an instant gratification kind of girl. Cheesecake takes time. Hours of cooling and refrigeration. It is so worth it in the end, though.
By the way. Homemade caramel sauce is my new favorite way to eat cheesecake.
If you would like to see my full tutorial, it is available on my Instagram page in my Saved Stories!
Thanks for reading!!
Jessie
Classic Cheesecake
Yield: 8-12
Prep time: 20 MCook time: 1 H & 15 MTotal time: 1 H & 35 M
A rich and silky cheesecake, guaranteed to become your new favorite dessert.
Ingredients:
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1-2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 7 tablespoons melted butter
Cheesecake Filling
- 4-8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup sour cream, at room temp
- 3 large eggs, plus 1 yolk, at room temp
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- a pinch of sea salt
Instructions:
Crust
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter until all ingredients are evenly distributed and a crumbly mixture forms.
- Lightly grease a 9 inch springform pan with butter.
- Press the crust mixture into the bottom, and about 2/3 of the way up the sides, of the pan. Using a glass to press crumb mixture into the pan makes quick work of this. Set aside to make the filling.
Cheesecake
- Preheat oven to 325 °. Start a kettle of water to boil (for steaming cheesecake as it bakes in the oven).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), beat cream cheese at medium speed until no lumps remain, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Do not over mix. Add the sugar. Mix until it just starts to look creamy and smooth again. Next, add the sour cream and vanilla. Continue to mix on medium speed until the mixture develops a silky, smooth texture, scraping down the side as necessary. Begin adding the eggs, one at a time, until each is just combined. Scrape the bowl down after each addition. Add the egg yolk, and continue to mix on medium-low until filling is silky and no lumps remain. DO NOT OVER MIX. This will take away from the texture.
- Pour filling into the graham cracker crust and smooth the top.
- Place a pan of boiling water on the lowest rack of the preheated oven.
- Put cheesecake on the center rack, situated directly above the pan of boiling water.
- Bake for 75 minutes. Cheesecake is done when the edges puff up slightly, and the center is set, but still jiggles a bit.
- Do not remove the cheesecake, but allow it to cool in the oven for an hour, with the oven door propped open slightly.
- After one hour, remove to cool completely on a counter top or table (1-2 hours).
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.