Cheesecake with passion fruit curd
I don't feel like there's much I can say about this recipe to introduce it... other than it was beyond delicious.
It was rich and creamy but didn't feel heavy. It was neither too dense nor too fluffy. The crust wasn't wimpy but it didn't overpower the cheesecake. And the slightly tart and sweet passion fruit curd was the perfect accompaniment to the richness of the dessert. It was like the goldilocks of cheesecakes!
Full disclosure: I'm not a cheesecake expert. This was the first time I'd made a cheesecake since who knows when. But I knew I was starting with a great recipe with all the amazing reviews it had. And I wasn't concerned about the dreaded "cheesecake crack" (since I was making this for just the 2 of us, aesthetics didn't really matter to me), so I didn't feel like bothering with the whole water bath to bake the cheesecake. But I found a great technique for baking the cheesecake that ended up being absolutely perfect, and easy.
Yours in eating ALL THE CHEESE, even for dessert,
Jacqueline
Cheesecake with passion fruit curd
Notes: The recipe below is for a 7" springform pan. If you want to make a "normal" sized cheesecake, double the recipe below and bake in a 9" or 10" springform pan. The original recipe (see links below) calls for a very thin sour cream topping that covers the cheesecake. I didn't make the topping since I was serving it with passion fruit curd, but I've included it as an option (particularly if you want the top of the cheesecake to look perfect).
Tips for a perfect cheesecake: Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. That is absolutely key to a smooth filling and even bake on the cheesecake. You also want to mix everything gently, and don't use a high speed or whisk attachment on your mixer. This will incorporate air into your batter, which will impact the texture of your cheesecake. Finally, make sure to scrape down the bowl after mixing in each ingredient to avoid lumps. I found the TermoWorks blog post below as a great resource.
My recipe uses a unique baking technique I came across that starts the oven at a high temperature then reduces it to a low temperature. If you want a denser cheesecake you can bake it at 250°F the entire time. I've also read many recipes that call for baking at 350°F. I'm sure all techniques work fine, but the process below worked well for me. (Be aware that if you're baking the larger cheesecake your top might brown a bit more than mine.)
Ok, onto the recipe!
Ingredients
Crust
1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs (150-170 g)
2 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP brown sugar
6-7 TBSP butter, melted (Note: This makes for a pretty buttery crust, which I love. You could get away with 4-5 TBSP instead if you wanted it a bit "drier")
Filling
16 oz cream cheese (2 packages), softened to room temperature (70°F)
½ cup sugar + 2 TBSP sugar
¼ cup sour cream, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten
⅛ tsp salt
Sour cream topping (optional)
¼ cup sour cream
1 tsp sugar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Prepare your 7" springform pan: Cover the top of your bottom plate in aluminum foil (to make the cheesecake easier to remove) and then assemble your springform; any excess foil can just be pushed up the sides of the springform.
- Prepare crust: Mix all crust ingredients in a bowl or in a food processor until very well combined and crumbs are evenly moistened. Press firmly on the bottom and up the sides of your springform (~⅔ up the sides, ideally around 1 ⅛" up the sides). Use the bottom of a measuring cup to help you press the crumbs down firmly and evenly. (Note: mine went up a bit higher on the edges, so this doesn't have to be perfect!)
- To bake or to not bake the crust: There's no right answer to this question. For cheesecake you don't have to bake your graham cracker crust—it all comes down to preference. If you want your crust softer then don't bother prebaking. If you want your crust with a bit more "crunch" then I'd suggest prebaking it. I par baked mine for 7 minutes at 450 degrees, but next time I'd do it for 10-12 minutes.
- Prepare your filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese until smooth. Start on low speed for a minute, then increase speed to medium and mix until perfectly smooth. Scrape down the bowl halfway through mixing. (You can do this with a hand mixer as well, but you want to avoid whipping in too much air into your mixture.)
- Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the sugar. Continue mixing on medium-low speed until well combined. Add sour cream, vanilla extract, and salt, and mix until well combined. As before, make sure to scrape down your bowl halfway through mixing.
- With mixer on low, gradually add eggs, one at a time, stirring until each egg is just incorporated. Once all eggs have been added, use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and make sure ingredients are well combined.
- Bake your cheesecake: Bake your cheesecake at 450°F for 15 minutes (20 minutes for the larger 9-10" cake). Turn the oven off and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon for 10 minutes, allowing it to vent some of its heat. Turn the oven back on to 250°F, close the door, and finish baking.
- Bake until an instant-read thermometer reads 145°F. This took about 35 minutes for my 7" cheesecake. The center of your cheesecake will be very wobbly when its done (I didn't actually believe it was done cooking as it seemed so liquidy, but I trusted the thermometer.) So I highly recommend using a thermometer to determine doneness!
- Cool: Cool the cheesecake on top of your oven for 15 minutes, then run a thin-bladed knife around the edges of the pan. Let it sit on the counter for at least another hour.
- Sour cream topping (optional): Combine the sour cream and sugar and spread evenly over the cheesecake.
- Refrigerate the cheesecake, covered, for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
- Serve with passion fruit curd (recipe below).
Crust recipe and mixing technique adapted from Sugar Spun Run
Baking technique modified from ThermoWorks (this is a great blog entry and has some really interesting tips and tricks!)
- Prepare double boiler: Add 1 to 2 inches of water to the bottom pan of a saucepan and heat to a simmer. Rest a heatproof glass bowl or metal bowl on top of the saucepan (make sure the the bottom of your pan does not touch the water).
- Cook curd: Add passion fruit puree, lime juice, sugar, and egg yolks to the bowl. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to thicken. Cook mixture, whisking constantly, until it thickens and leaves a path on the back of a wooden spoon when the finger is drawn across it (~160 degrees); do not allow mixture to boil.
- Remove bowl from the heat and add the salt and the butter, one cube at a time. Stir each cube until it melts before adding the next. Stir vigorously for about one minute after the last cube is added.
- Pour lemon curd through a strainer into a bowl. Let cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.
- Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve. (Curd lasts for 1 month in fridge and 3 months in the freezer.)
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