My dad loves cheesecake, and I probably got my love of them from him. I've made a few different cheesecake recipes but this one is my absolute favorite. I use this recipe as a base whenever I'm making various types of cheesecake and it's always super creamy and delicious, hence the name. Making cheesecake requires time and patience, LOTS of patience, so be sure you're dedicated.
6 eggs, room temperature 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 cups sour cream, room temperature 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional) Start with preheating your oven to 300°F.
Liberally butter the inside of a 10-inch spring-form pan. Cut two large pieces of foil and lay them on your work surface in a cross, set the spring-form pan in the middle and fold the edges of the foil up around the sides of the pan. Doing this allows the foil to give you extra protection against water getting into the pan during the water bath step.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until it is smooth and there are no lumps. Add the sour cream,sugar,cornstarch,lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed until combined and creamy.
Scrape down the beater and sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating slowly until everything is combined.
Pour your batter into the prepared spring-form pan and place in the middle of a roasting pan large enough to prevent the sides from touching.
Bring a few cups of water to a boil and pour the water slowly into the roasting pan, being very careful not to splash any water onto the cheesecake. Filling the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the spring-form pan.
Bake for 2 hours, 15 minutes, or until the cake is very lightly colored and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
Turn off the oven and crack the door open, let the cheesecake cool slowly for two to three hours.
DO NOT try to remove the cheesecake from the pan until it has set up in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Allowing the cheesecake to cool before removing from the pan is crucial for letting the cheesecake set and achieving perfect cheesecake texture — don't rush it; great things take time.
Using an offset spatula, run it along the inside of the spring-form pan and un-mold the cake.
You can garnish the top of the cheesecake with blueberry sauce or whichever topping you desire, but topping it off with strawberries is my personal favorite.
The trick for having no cracks on top on top your cheesecake is the “water bath” bake, and it's also one of the secrets to a truly creamy cheesecake. Using the water bath method provides a more even, slower heat source rather than the direct heat of your oven. This is super important for baking foods like cheesecakes, which often tend to crack from the heat of the oven. I've baked cheesecakes without a water bath and they always cracked or sunk no matter how long I let them cool or allowed them to set after the desired baking time.
Love Always,
Nina