Classic Cheesecake

Name: Classic Cheesecake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 2 tbsp granulated sugar; 1/4 cup unsalted butter; 3 250-g blocks cream cheese, at room temperature; 1/2 cup regular sour cream; 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar; 1 tbsp all-purpose flour; 2 tsp vanilla; 4 eggs

Prep Time25 min
Total Time1 h 55 min
Makes12 Slices

*PLUS Refrigeration time

By Chatelaine

A classic cheesecake topped with fruit, sitting on a silver platter.

Classic cheesecake.
Photo, Yvonne Duivenvoorden.

The secret to this velvety-smooth, crack-proof cheesecake? A water bath. It sounds daunting, but it's dead simple.

Ingredients

2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter

FILLING

3 250-g blocks cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup regular sour cream
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs

Instructions

For crust, butter or oil sides of a 10-in. (25-cm) springform pan. In a large bowl, using a fork, stir graham crumbs with sugar, then stir in butter. Press mixture onto bottom of pan. Wrap pan with foil, over bottom and sides, making sure it comes to the top edge so water from the water bath won’t leak in. Double wrap if necessary. Refrigerate while preparing cheesecake filling.
Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Put a kettle of water on. Place cream cheese in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until smooth, scraping down side occasionally. Beat in sour cream, sugar, flour and vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Pour onto chilled crust.
Place wrapped springform pan in a broiler pan or shallow-sided roasting pan. Place in preheated oven. Pour enough boiling water into broiler pan to come about 1 in. (2.5 cm) up side of foil-wrapped springform pan.
Bake in centre of preheated oven until filling is almost set when springform pan is jiggled, about 1 hour. Remove broiler pan to a rack. Run a knife around inside of cake pan to help prevent cracking. Let stand until water cools, about 30 min. Remove pan from water. Discard foil.
Cool, then cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, 4 hours. Remove cake from pan. If making ahead, refrigerate up to 3 days. Or over-wrap with foil and freeze for up to 1 month.

Cheesecake toppings

Chocolate-Ganache Sauce

Pour 1/2 cup (125 mL) hot whipping cream over 4 oz (112 g) finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate. Stir until smooth. Drizzle over cheesecake slices.

Fresh Fruit

Scatter the whole unsliced cheesecake with a simple selection of fresh fruits like figs, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and ground cherries (also called cape gooseberries).

Find more of our best cake recipes.

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