The classic New York-Style Cheesecake with berry sauce is an incredibly versatile recipe for a nice, traditional dessert that goes perfectly with a glass of dry white wine or fruit cocktail. Simple, easy, and amazingly delicious, try the recipe:
Ingredients:
For the cheesecake:
- 17 graham crackers, broken into pieces
- 7 tablespoons melted butter, unsalted, room temperature (plus some more to grease the pan)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- Freshly squeezed juice from 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- A pinch of salt plus ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
- 5 (8 oz. each) bars cream cheese, at room temperature
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the berry sauce:
- 2 cups mixed berries, frozen
- 3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar, to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions:
To make the cheesecake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4. Butter 9-inch springform Finely grind Graham crackers in a blender or food processor. Apply brown sugar, melted butter, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt; pulse until mixture is like wet sand. Then, press into bottom and halfway up sides of the springform pan. Place in the oven and bake until set, around 12-14 minutes. Allow cooling.
- Next, reduce temperature to 325°F/160°C/Gas Mark 3. Using an electric mixer, on medium speed, whisk cream cheese. Gradually fold in granulated sugar until fluffy and light, around 2-3 minutes. Mix in lemon juice and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla extract and sour cream.
- Apply pan in middle of a double layer of foil. Then, lift up the foil edges, wrapping it firmly around sides of baking pan and folding it in under itself as needed until flush with the top of the pan. (in order to prevent water not to seep in.)
- Pour filling into pan; use an offset spatula to smooth the top.
- Apply springform pan in a roasting pan; place in the oven. Add enough boiling water into roasting pan to come ½ up sides of springform Bake until the cake is golden brown on the top, puffed, and slightly wobbly in the middle (around 1 hour and 45 minutes – 2 hours). Meantime, prepare the berry sauce.
To make the berry sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, apply berries, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the liquid thickens. At any point, you may pour water if the sauce is very thick, or some more sugar to make it sweeter.
- Next, in a small cup, whisk together water and cornstarch until smooth, then apply it to the saucepan. Allow the mixture to simmer for a few minutes longer until it gets the desired consistency. The berry sauce will thicken more as it cools.
- Then, remove springform pan from roasting pan; allow to cool on a wire rack 15 minutes. Take out foil; run a knife around sides of pan to loosen. Allow cooling Drape pan with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until cold (at least 7 hours, ideally overnight). Remove cake from pan, spread the berry sauce over the cake, slice, and serve.
- Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Enjoy!