You can’t beat a simple, rich cheesecake with a crumb base and a classic sour cream topping. To make this one extra special, I’ve included a lightly cooked, fresh blueberry sauce for spooning over.
Serves 8
Special equipment
Round springform pan or loose-bottomed cake pan, 8in (20cm) diameter and 21⁄4in (5.5cm) deep
1 lb 9 oz (700 g) full-fat cream cheese (room temperature)
1⁄2 cup (125 g) granulated sugar
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
2 large eggs
31⁄2 fl oz (100 ml) full-fat sour cream
For the base
4 tbsp (60 g) butter, plus extra for greasing
8 graham crackers, about 4–41⁄2 oz (115–125 g), broken into large pieces
For the topping
1⁄4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, plus 1 tsp to serve
10 oz (300 g) blueberries
31⁄2 fl oz (100 ml) full-fat sour cream
1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Lightly grease the springform or cake pan with butter. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Make the base: put the graham crackers in a plastic food bag, seal the bag, and crush the crackers with a rolling pin. Melt the butter in a medium pan. Remove from the heat and stir in the crumbs. Pour the buttery crumbs into the pan and press the mixture evenly over the bottom. Place the pan on a baking sheet and set aside. (See Make a crispy base.)
3. Make the filling: put the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat using an electric hand mixer on low speed until creamy. Gradually beat in the sugar, then the flour. Next, beat in the vanilla and lemon zest and juice, then the eggs, one at a time. Briefly beat in the sour cream. Pour the filling over the base. (See Make a smooth, creamy filling.)
4. Bake the cheesecake for 40 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the pan in the oven (with the door closed) for 2 hours. Remove from the oven, then loosen the cheesecake from the side of the pan using a palette knife. When completely cold, chill the cheesecake in its pan for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. (See Chill the baked cheesecake.)
5. Make the topping: put the sugar in a medium, heavy-bottom pan with 1 tablespoon of water. Heat over low heat for several minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat and let it bubble for less than a minute, without stirring, until syrupy and a very pale gold color. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in half the blueberries, then return to the heat and let the berries cook briefly in the syrup for 1–11⁄2 minutes to release their juices. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the rest of the blueberries. Let cool. (See Make a syrupy blueberry topping.)
6. To serve, mix the teaspoon of sugar into the sour cream. Remove the cheesecake from the pan, then slide it onto a serving plate, removing the lining paper as you do. Spread the sour cream smoothly over the top, as near to the edge as you can. Chill for 20–30 minutes. Use a large, sharp knife to slice, then place a spoonful of the blueberries on top of each slice and serve the rest separately.
CHEESECAKE WITH BLUEBERRY TOPPING
KEYS TO PERFECTION
Make a crispy base
1 Lay the bag of graham crackers on a flat work surface and pound them with a rolling pin, or run a rolling pin over the crackers until crushed—or a combination of both. You’re aiming for fine crumbs, as this will give the cheesecake base a better texture than if it consisted of large lumps, and makes the cheesecake easier to slice.
2 After combining the crumbs with melted butter, press them down firmly onto the bottom of the pan using the back of a metal spoon, or use your fingers to smooth and pat it down—whichever you find easiest. Try to make the crust the same thickness all over, so you have a firm, even base for the filling.
Make a smooth, creamy filling
1 Take the cream cheese out of the fridge at least 2 hours before making the cheesecake, so you can mix it quickly and smoothly without over-beating. Use an electric hand mixer on a low speed throughout the mixing. Beat the ingredients together to remove lumps, but be careful not to over-beat, or you’ll mix in too much air and create bubbles in the mixture.
2 After you’ve filled the pan with the mixture, jiggle it gently to settle the filling evenly, and then burst any air bubbles that rise to the surface with the back of a teaspoon.
Chill the baked cheesecake
1 After baking, the cheesecake will appear to be very soft and wobbly in the center and slightly puffy at the side. So it doesn’t overcook, finish the cooking slowly by leaving it in the turned-off oven. As the cheesecake cools, a small crack or two may appear on the surface, but don’t worry if this happens—it will be covered with the sour cream topping later.
2 Loosen the cheesecake from the pan by running a small palette knife around the inside of the pan. Releasing the side of the cheesecake from the pan (but keeping it in its pan while it continues to cool) makes it easier to remove and helps prevent cracking across the middle. When completely cool, put the cheesecake in the fridge, in its pan, to chill. This improves the texture.
Make a syrupy blueberry topping
1 When making the syrupy base for the fruit topping, keep the heat low to start with, or the sugar will crystallize (you don’t want it to bubble at this stage). Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat to medium–high, so the mixture can bubble and become syrupy; don’t stir. It will take 35–40 seconds to reach a syrupy consistency; if you cook it too long, the syrup will turn to caramel.
2 As soon as the bubbles start to turn a very pale golden color, remove the pan from the heat and stir in half the blueberries. The syrup may stiffen, but don’t worry—it will loosen again when it is reheated. Return the pan to the stove and cook gently, stirring, until the blueberries are just starting to burst and release their juices. Take the pan off the heat again and stir in the remaining blueberries.