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If you love smooth and creamy cheesecake, simply follow this easy recipe to make your own! This version by Executive Pastry Chef at Hilton Sydney, Miko Aspiras, sits on a buttery graham cracker base, and you can decorate it with fresh fruits like strawberries and blueberries to make it extra pretty. It’ll make for a gorgeous gift for your loved ones!
INGREDIENTS
GRAHAM BASE
- 1¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter, plus extra for brushing
- ⅓ cup sugar
CHEESECAKE
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3⅓ cups cream cheese
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 vanilla beans, seeds scraped
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 medium eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream/yoghurt
STEPS
Preheat oven to 149 C. Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with foil. Brush base with melted butter.
Make the graham base
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl using your hands until well incorporated.
- Press graham cracker mixture firmly onto the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan.
- Place pan in a shallow baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Keep springform pan in the baking dish and let cool to room temperature.
Decrease oven temperature to 129 C.
Whisk together cornstarch and water until completely dissolved.
Simmer cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in dissolved cornstarch. Stir until mixture is thick, then immediately strain mixture into a bowl. Set aside.
Use an electric mixer to mix the cream cheese, sugar, scraped vanilla seeds, and vanilla extract until smooth, light, and fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Add eggs one at a time, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl with every addition.
Pour in thickened cream mixture. Mix until well combined.
Scatter half of the roughly crumbled graham crackers on top of the prepared base.
Pour batter over. Tap pan to release air bubbles. Top with remaining crumbled graham crackers.
Fill the shallow baking dish, around the springform pan, halfway with hot water.
Bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours or until cheesecake is firm but still jiggly at the center. Let cool to room temperature before chilling overnight.
Decorate top with whipped cream, graham cracker pieces, and fresh berries and fruits.
Photo: Hilton Sydney