Blueberry Cheesecake

Do you know someone who enjoys blueberries? Make an impression on them with this gorgeous and rich blueberry cheesecake!

Ingredients :

For the crust

• 10 ounces graham crackers (about 18 crackers)

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 10 tablespoons (141g) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling

• 1 and a half pounds (680 grams) of room temperature cream cheese

• 1 cup (208g) sugar

• 1/3 cup (85g) of room temperature sour cream

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• Lemon zest from one (about 1 tightly packed teaspoon)

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

• 2 cups (308g) fresh blueberries

For the blueberry sauce

• 3 cups (462g) fresh blueberries

• 1/2 cup (104g) sugar

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

• Lemon zest from one (about 1 tightly packed teaspoon)

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/3 cup water

Special Equipment

• 1 (8x3-inch) round springform pan

STEPS :

     1. Preheat the oven : 

Place an oven rack in the oven's middle. Heat it to 325°F.

     2. Make the graham cracker crumbs : 

The bowl of a food processor should be filled with the Graham crackers, sugar, and salt. Pulse until graham cracker pieces are reduced to tiny, even crumbs and no large bits are left to be seen. Blend in the butter after adding it. If you pinch any of the mixture, it will hold together and resemble wet sand. This can be made in a blender.

As an alternative, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and salt in a zip-top bag and pound them with a meat mallet until they are completely crushed. Add the melted butter to the crumbs after placing them in a medium basin.

     3. Press the crumbs into springform pan : 

Fill an 8 x 3-inch round springform pan with the crumbs. With your fingertips or the bottom of a measuring cup, firmly press them down into a uniform layer. The crust shouldn't extend up the pan's sides.

     4. Bake the crust : 

Bake the crust for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. It should cool for about 15 minutes on a wire rack. Keep the oven on so that the cheesecake can bake.

     5. Triple wrap the pan : 

Wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with three pieces of sturdy foil that have been cut to a length of about 18 inches once it is cool enough to handle. The foil stops the water from leaking into the crust and making it soggy while the cheesecake bakes in a water bath. Wrap the springform pan in foil and lay it aside in a big roasting pan.

     6. Boiling water :

Put water in a kettle or big saucepan and cover it with a lid. During the preparation of the cheesecake filling, bring it to a boil over high heat. The boiling water will be used to make a hot water bath in which to bake the cheesecake.

     7. Make the cheesecake filling : 

Add the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. For about five minutes, beat on medium speed until very smooth and creamy. To integrate any ingredients that could be stuck to the bowl, pause and scrape the sides.

You can alternatively use a hand-held electric mixer to follow along in a big bowl.

     8. Add the heavy cream and eggs : 

Slowly add the heavy cream while lowering the mixer's speed until it is barely blended. One at a time, stir in the eggs until barely incorporated. The filling shouldn't be overmixed after the eggs are added. As the cheesecake bakes, too much air in the filling will cause it to crack. Once the eggs are all integrated, stop mixing.

     9. Fold in the blueberries :

Add two cups of blueberries to the bowl after removing it from the stand mixer. Avoid crushing the blueberries as you delicately fold them into the filling using a rubber spatula.

     10. Over the crust, pour the filling :

Scrape the filling onto the baked crust using the rubber spatula. Put the roasting pan in the oven with the springform pan inside.

     11. Create a water bath : 

Fill the roasting pan with boiling water until the sides of the springform pan are halfway up the roasting pan.

Pouring from a kettle is simpler than a pot. If the thought of putting hot water from a pot directly into the oven makes you uncomfortable, you can add the water to the roasting pan beforehand. In order for the roasting pan to be a close and simple transfer once filled with boiling water, set it directly on the cooktop to achieve this.

     12. Bake the cheesecake : 

About one hour thirty minutes into baking, the cheesecake should be slightly puffy around the edges and 2 to 3 inches of the center should be slightly jiggly (like Jell-O).

Open the oven door by about 1 inch after turning the oven off. You can hold the door open using a wooden spoon. Allow the cheesecake to finish setting in the oven for approximately an hour, or until there is almost no jiggle left.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool after 30 minutes. Refrigerate it for at least 6 hours or until completely cold, loosely covered with a clean kitchen towel. The cheesecake will stiffen and stop wobbling in the middle.

     13. Meanwhile, make the blueberry sauce : 

1 cup blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt should all be combined in a medium pot. Over medium-high heat, add 1/3 cup water and bring the sauce to a boil. For about 10 minutes, boil the sauce, stirring periodically, until it becomes a brilliant purple and becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. There will be some blueberries that burst.

After transferring the sauce to a medium heatproof container, give it about 30 minutes to cool somewhat on the counter. Wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for about an hour to get it cold. Add the final 2 cups of blueberries by stirring. Maintain the sauce in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

     14. Serve the cheesecake : 

When it's time to serve, cut a small circle around the cheesecake's outside edges to release it from the springform pan. Remove the springform by unclasping it. Using a sizable, flat spatula, carefully remove the cheesecake from the spring form pan's base and transfer it to a serving tray. The cheesecake can stay on the pan's bottom as well.

Add the blueberry sauce by spoonfuls. Slice, then dish.