About three months back, I shared a super simple recipe for Cheesecake. It took no skill at all to prepare and didn't even require baking. However, this recipe may not be considered cheesecake in the truest sense considering it not only threw baking aside but almost half of the normal cheesecake ingredients. Some will probably notice just the taste, though it isn't anything they would want to spit out. Still, baking fans might feel cheated.

So for the sake of those who prefer a traditional New York style cheesecake, here is a recipe to get them started.

It will yield a single cheesecake complete with a baked crust and a simple raspberry sauce topping. Bon appetite!

Cheesecake and sauce recipe

Crust Ingredients:

  • 12 oz Graham crackers, crushed
  • 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar

Batter Ingredients:

  • 3 packs (8 oz each) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 6 oz granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb raspberries
  • 8 oz castor sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Cheesecake and Crust Directions:

  1. Position the rack in the oven to the lower middle area. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Remove the cream cheese from the refrigerator, and let it sit outside of it containers to warm to room temperature.
  3. Grind the biscuits and brown sugar fine in a food processor and gradually add the melted butter.
  4. Grease the bottom of a 9" round springform pan with butter and wrap the bottom with 2 sheets of foil. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and 2 1/2" up its sides.
  5. Place the crust in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the crust starts to turn brown around its edges. Remove and set aside to cool.
  6. Beat together the sugar and cream cheese in a bowl with an electric mixer. Crack open and beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
  7. Beat in the cornstarch and zest until fully combined. Mix together the heavy cream and vanilla extract, then beat in the mixture to complete the batter.
  8. Pour the batter into springform pan and use a rubber spatula or a spoon to smooth down the surface. and place it into a roasting pan. Pour warm water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the springform pan and place in the oven. Bake for an hour or until the outer sides of the cheesecake is set and puffy, but with a slight jiggle in the center.
  9. Leave cheesecake in the oven while the door is open to cool for another hour.
  10. Remove the cheesecake from the hotel pan. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the cake, then remove the outer ring of the springform pan.
  11. Seal and refrigerate the cheesecake for 3-4 hours or overnight.
  12. When it's time to serve, run a knife through the outer edges of the cheesecake, then remove the ring from the springform pan. Coat the top with the raspberry sauce (read directions below).

Sauce Directions:

  1. Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add and stir the sugar, raspberries and lemon juice in the saucepan. Keep stirring over heat until raspberries begin to release juices and the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and strain juices into a bowl through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing the fruit for a bigger yield.
  2. Seal and Refrigerate.

Serves: 10
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