Description
Classic crème brûlée cheesecake merges rich French and American dessert traditions into one creamy, caramelized masterpiece. Rich cream cheese and vanilla custard create a luxurious base with a crackling caramel top that will delight you.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 packages (8 oz/226 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 10 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream
- 1 ⅓ cups (267 g) sugar
- 1 ¾ cups (220 g) gingersnaps (about 35 cookies)
- 5 tbsps (71 g) butter, melted
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) bourbon or rum
- ½ cup (60 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3–4 tbsps eggnog
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 2–3 tbsps superfine sugar (for torching)
- Fresh raspberries (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Pan: Wrap a 9-inch springform pan securely with aluminum foil, ensuring complete water-tight protection for the baking process.
- Create Crust: Pulverize gingersnap cookies into fine crumbs, mixing with sugar, salt, and melted butter until thoroughly combined. Press mixture firmly and evenly into pan base using a glass bottom for precise compaction.
- Pre-Bake Crust: Crisp the crust in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes, then cool completely while reducing temperature to 325°F.
- Prepare Filling: Whip cream cheese until silky smooth, incorporating sugar, vanilla bean paste, and salt. Gently warm heavy cream and carefully temper egg yolks by slowly introducing warm cream to prevent curdling.
- Combine Mixture: Blend egg-cream mixture into cream cheese base at low speed, ensuring ultimate smoothness and minimal air incorporation.
- Bake Cheesecake: Pour batter over gingersnap crust, then place springform pan inside a larger roasting pan. Fill water bath to midway up pan sides and bake for approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes until center shows a subtle jiggle.
- Cool and Rest: Allow cheesecake to cool gradually in oven with door slightly ajar, then refrigerate for minimum 3 hours or overnight to achieve optimal texture.
- Caramelize Topping: Before serving, dust superfine sugar evenly across surface. Use a kitchen torch in graceful circular motions to create a glistening, caramelized crust. Let caramel solidify briefly.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh raspberries and present immediately to maintain perfect texture and temperature.
Notes
- Seal Pan Perfectly: Wrap springform pan with multiple aluminum foil layers to prevent water leakage during water bath baking, ensuring a dry, intact cheesecake.
- Master Crumb Technique: Pulse gingersnap cookies into ultra-fine, uniform crumbs using a food processor for a consistently smooth, compact crust foundation.
- Temper Eggs Carefully: Slowly incorporate warm cream into egg yolks to prevent curdling, creating a silky, luxurious cheesecake base without scrambled egg bits.
- Torch with Precision: Move kitchen torch in smooth, continuous circular motions to caramelize sugar evenly, creating a perfect golden-brown crackable top without burning.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 470
- Sugar: 36 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 19 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 195 mg