Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
This Crème Brûlée Cheesecake combines the creaminess and richness of a traditional cheesecake with the crunchy caramelized sweetness of creme brûlée. This decadent dessert features a buttery graham cracker crust, a rich cheesecake filling with vanilla bean speckles, and a layer of crunchy caramelized sugar on top.
Servings: 12 servings
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Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 180 grams, or digestive biscuits
- 1/4 cup brown sugar 55 grams
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted 85 grams
Cheesecake batter
- 907 grams cream cheese softened 4 packages of 8 oz.
- 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar 266 grams
- 2 vanilla bean pods see notes
- 1/2 cup sour cream 120 grams
- 4 large eggs room temp
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the topping
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 grams
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Pre-heat the oven to 325°F.
- Place the graham cracker in a food processor and process to obtain fine crumbs.
- Add the brown sugar and mix to combine.
- Melt the butter and mix with the crumbs and sugar.
- Press the mixture on the bottom of an 8" or 9" cheesecake pan. If using an 8" springform pan, it must be deep.
- Bake the crust in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove it from the oven and let it cool down.
Cheesecake Batter
- Grease the sides of the cheesecake pan. (Read notes)
- Beat the cream cheese for 3 minutes with a mixer at medium speed, until creamy.
- Add the granulated sugar to the bowl.
- Split the vanilla bean pods in half with a pairing knife then open them and scrape the seeds from into the bowl with the sugar and cream cheese.
- Beat the cream cheese, vanilla bean seeds, and sugar for 2 minutes at medium speed.
- Scrape the bowl and beat for another 30 seconds.
- Add the sour cream and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl.
- Make sure to scrape the bowl a few times during the mixing process, to avoid the cream cheese from forming lumps in the batter.
- Add the eggs one at a time to the bowl, mixing until incorporated before adding the next one.
- Avoid over mixing once the eggs are added, to prevent cracking of the cheesecake.
- Add the vanilla extract (and or vanilla bean paste), salt, and mix briefly.
- Pour the cheesecake batter in the pan, over the baked and cooled crust.
- Wrap the bottom of the pan with a few layers of foil.
- Place the pan in a larger roasting pan, and add hot water to the roasting pan, to form a water bath. This is very important so the cheesecake doesn't crack.
- Bake the cheesecake in the pre-heated 325°F oven for 60 to 75 minutes.
- To check if the cheesecake is done baking, give the pan a little wiggle, it should jiggle slightly in the center, but the edges should look set.
- Turn the oven off, and leave the cheesecake in there for 1 hour.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven, let it cool down. Don't remove the ring of the pan yet, place the cheesecake in the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours.
To decorate
- After the cheesecake has been done chilling, remove from the fridge. Remove the ring from around the pan.
- Sprinkle the sugar on an even layer on top of the cheesecake. Use a torch to caramelize the sugar on top. I like to use my torch on the lowest setting and do this step slowly, to avoid burned spots on the surface.
- Use a circular motion, and don't hover over one spot for too long, keep it moving, trying to get the whole surface of the cheesecake evenly.
- Allow for the caramelized sugar to harden up on top, which should take a few minutes. Slice and serve.
- If you have cheesecake leftovers, the caramelized sugar on top will become soft. I found that if you take the torch and toast the top of the cheesecake again, using a low setting, it should harden the sugar up again. It won't be as crunchy as it was when you first did it, but it will do the trick.
Nutrition
Calories: 460kcal