Cheesecake

This Cheesecake is so creamy and delicious with a thick and buttery graham cracker crust. It's baked in a 9" springform pan that's placed in a water bath so it's super tender and moist. It's then topped off with beautiful swirls of whipped cream to make it look extra fancy!

This Cheesecake is my new favorite recipe. It's a classic and such a crowd pleaser. I love serving it with whipped cream, but you can even add fresh berries on top to take it to the next level.

Let's talk prep! There are several things you'll need to do to make sure everything goes smoothly. First, make sure you read the entire recipe through. This dessert requires more time and planning than most. Your cream cheese should be brought to room temperature for almost 2 hours. Your eggs and sour cream should be brought to room temperature for about an hour. However, if your kitchen is super hot, this will take less time so plan accordingly. Room temperature ingredients are crucial.

Another crucial step takes place while you're making the cheesecake. You'll need to mix the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla at high speed for the designated times, but once you add the eggs, you'll need to mix on low to avoid over mixing the batter. Over mixing the batter can lead to cracking.

Once you bake your cheesecake until it has that perfect wiggle in the center, you'll need to open your oven door and let the cheesecake sit in there inside the water bath for another hour before wrapping in plastic wrap and placing in the fridge for at least a 6 hour chill. Doing this allows the cheesecake to slowly adjust temperatures and ensures it won't crack.

You'll need several different pans including a 9" springform pan, a roasting pan for the water bath, and a large pot to boil water in. You'll also need a large heat safe measuring cup to transfer the boiling water to the roasting pan. You can use a kettle instead if you have one!

A FEW NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED

• Room Temperature Ingredients:
  • Cream Cheese: It’s important that the cream cheese is softened. Make sure to leave it out before you start baking so it has time to soften.
  • Eggs: You also want to make sure that the eggs are at room temperature to ensure that they are properly incorporated. If you forget to leave them out before you start baking, place them in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes until they become room temperature.
• Measuring Your Ingredients:
  • I strongly encourage that you use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients and ensure that you have the most accurate measurements possible.
  • However, if you don’t have a scale on hand and will be using cup measurements, make sure to use the “spoon and sweep” method when measuring to avoid packing in too much of any dry ingredient.
• Check out My Favorite Baking Tools to see what I use when I bake.

Preheat oven to 350º. Blend graham crackers in a food processor until they are a fine, sandlike consistency. Add in melted butter and sugar and blend until the crumbs start to clump together.

Spray a 9" springform pan with cooking spray and pour in the crumbs. Use a small measuring cup sprayed with cooking spray to carefully press the crumbs down until they cover the bottom of the pan and are compact. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Fill a large pot with water, put the lid on it, and heat on the stove while you prep the filling. You want this water to come to a boil just when you're ready to put the cheesecake in the oven. If it comes to a boil sooner, turn it down slightly to a simmer.

Use a stand mixer or handheld mixer with a large bowl to beat together the cream cheese and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add sour cream and vanilla and continue to mix on high for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add in the eggs, one at a time, with your mixer on low and mix just until combined each time. Make sure to gently scrape the sides of the bowl so the batter is uniform, but be careful not to over mix. It's very important not to over mix at this step or it could result in cracks.

Cover the bottom of the pan in foil really tightly or use a cheesecake bath wrap like this one. Gently pour the batter on top of the graham cracker crust and use an offset spatula to spread it out so it is level.

Carefully transfer the boiling water to a large heat safe liquid measuring cup like this.
Place the 9" springform pan (with its foil base or cheesecake wrap) into a large roasting pan and place on the lowest rack in your oven.

Slowly pour the hot water into the large roasting pan, being careful not to let any get onto the cheesecake or inside the wrap surrounding the cheesecake or you'll have a soggy crust.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until it has a slight wiggle in the center. Open the oven door and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 1 hour.

Remove it from its water bath and foil/wrap, but do not open its pan. Wrap the entire pan in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours.

Once the cheesecake has cooled, carefully run a butter knife along the sides of the pan. Place the pan on top of a small jar or cup and gently open the pan, pushing the sides of the pan down off of the base to release it.

Measure the cold water and gelatin into a small bowl. Mix with a spoon and let sit for about 3 minutes. Place in the microwave for about 4-5 seconds to melt it again. Set aside.

Mix the cream on high with a handheld mixer until somewhat stiff peaks have formed.

Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and gelatin and continue to mix on high until stiff peaks have formed.

Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with an Ateco 867 or similar piping tip. Pipe 8 swirls around the edges of the cheesecake for 8 slices.

You'll want to start in the center and then do a tight swirl over that until you reach the top of where you started. Cut the cheesecake into slices and serve. Enjoy!

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