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Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

Crème Brûlée Cheesecake perfectly combines the smooth richness of classic cheesecake with silky vanilla pastry cream and the caramelized sugar topping everyone loves from crème brûlée.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 15

Waiting Time6

Total Time7 45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 995kcal

Author: Katalin Nagy

Equipment

Ingredients

Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

Crust

300 g Graham Cracker Crumbs 300 g = 10.5 oz = approx. 20 sleeves
120 g Unsalted butter
Pinch of salt

Cheesecake batter

900 g Cream cheese full fat Philadephia at room temperature
250 g Granulated sugar
230 g Sour cream full-fat at room temperature
1 tablespoon Lemon juice freshly squeezed
3 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
4 Eggs lightly whisked at room temperature

Pastry cream

240 g Whole milk 3% fat
50 g Granulated sugar
40 g Egg yolk approx. yolk of 2 eggs
12 g Cornstarch
12 g All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
30 g Unsalted butter 82% fat, room temperature soft butter

Caramelized top

50 g Granulated sugar

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Crust

Slowly melt the butter on the stovetop or in the microwave until fully melted, then set it aside to cool slightly. Break the graham crackers down into fine crumbs using a food processor, or seal them in a zip-top bag and crush them evenly with a rolling pin.
Stir a pinch of salt into the crumbs, then add the melted butter and mix until the texture resembles wet sand.
Transfer the mixture to an ungreased 8- or 9-inch springform pan and press it evenly across the base and up the sides using the back of a spoon or a measuring cup. Use steady, gentle pressure to compact the crust without overpacking it, then refrigerate or freeze it while you prepare the filling.
Bake the crust in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes, until lightly golden and set. Remove it from the oven and let the crust cool completely in the pan before pouring in the cheesecake batter.

Water bath preparation

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C), no fan. Select a roasting pan large enough to hold the springform pan for the water bath and set it aside.
Wrap the outside of the springform pan with the crust in at least 4–5 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil, fully covering the bottom and sides to prevent water from leaking in. For added protection, the foil-wrapped pan can also be placed inside a large oven-safe bag.

Cheesecake batter

Add the room-temperature, full-fat cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium-low speed for about 2 minutes, until completely smooth with no lumps, then scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Add the granulated sugar and continue creaming on medium-low speed for 2 minutes until the mixture looks silky and no longer grainy. Scrape down the bowl again.
Add the room-temperature sour cream, freshly squeezed lemon juice, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Mix on low speed for about 10 seconds, just until incorporated, then scrape down the bowl again.
Lightly whisk the room-temperature eggs in a small bowl until just blended. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the eggs. Mix only until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Do not whip the batter.

Assemble the cheesecake

Once the batter is smooth and fully uniform, stop mixing. Pour it into the baked crust, tap the pan gently on the counter a few times to release any trapped air bubbles, then place the springform pan into the roasting pan.
Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Carefully pour the hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches about thirdway up the sides of the springform pan.
Transfer the roasting pan with the cheesecake and water into the oven.
Bake the cheesecake in the prepared water bath at 325°F (165°C) for 60–75 minutes, until the edges are set but the center is still slightly jiggly when gently shaken. Do not open the oven door during baking.
When the baking time is complete, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside with the door closed for 60 minutes. This gradual cooling helps reduce the risk of cracking. After an hour, remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully lift the cheesecake out of the water bath. Remove the foil and transfer the pan to a wire rack, then let it cool at room temperature for about 1 hour.
Once the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature, place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours, or overnight, until fully set. Only after chilling, release the springform pan and remove the cheesecake carefully.

Pastry cream

While the cheesecake is chilling, prepare the pastry cream. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks by hand for 1–2 minutes, until slightly pale and fluffy. Whisk in the cornstarch, flour, and vanilla until fully incorporated and a smooth paste forms.
Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat and remove it as soon as it reaches a gentle simmer, making sure it does not boil. Slowly pour the warm milk over the egg yolk mixture while whisking vigorously by hand to temper the yolks; the mixture should begin to thicken slightly.
Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened—about 1 minute after it comes to a boil. The cream may appear lumpy at first; continue whisking until it becomes smooth and glossy. For an extra-smooth result, strain the pastry cream if needed.
Add the softened, room-temperature butter in chunks, folding it in with a rubber spatula until fully incorporated. Add the butter in three stages, mixing well after each addition, until the pastry cream is smooth and silky.
The pastry cream needs to be completely cool before being used on top of the cheesecake. Place the cream in a shallow bowl and cover the entire surface with plastic wrap to avoid skin forming on top.

Assemble the Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

Remove the cheesecake and pastry cream from the refrigerator. Using an offset spatula, spread an even layer of pastry cream over the top of the cheesecake.
Caramelize the top straight before serving.
Sprinkle a thin, even layer of granulated sugar over the surface, then caramelize it with a kitchen torch just until the sugar melts and turns golden. Avoid holding the flame in one spot too long to prevent burning.

Serving

Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between each cut for neat slices. Serve plain or with toppings such as fresh fruit, fruit compote, whipped cream, chocolate ganache, or caramel sauce.
Storing
Once the cheesecake has chilled and set, cover any leftovers with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store them in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days to maintain freshness and prevent drying out. You might need to re-caramelize the top before serving, as it tends to melt in the fridge after a few hours.
Freezing
Do not freeze the cheesecake after the pastry cream is on top, but you can freeze the base cheesecake easily.
After the cheesecake has fully chilled, wrap the whole cheesecake (still in the springform pan) or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then add a layer of aluminum foil for protection; freeze for up to 2–3 months, and when ready to serve, transfer to the refrigerator to thaw slowly overnight for the best texture.

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES:

Measure your ingredients with a digital scale for accuracy.
Do not skip the salt; it will balance the flavors.
Feel free to substitute Graham crackers with Digestive biscuits.
The crust is sweet enough, but for people with an extra sweet tooth, feel free to add 1-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar to this recipe.
For the cheesecake batter, use full-fat ingredients at room temperature.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice gives better flavor than bottled.
Good quality butter and pure vanilla extract are the heart of making pastry cream. Use high-quality 82% fat content European butter and the best quality vanilla you can access.
Fresh, farm eggs will provide bright yellow colored pastry cream, while cheaper supermarket eggs will result in a pale cream.

TECHNIQUE NOTES:

Make sure you read my step-by-step instructions in the post above with all the details of how to make this cheesecake crust. A short recipe alone is not able to cover all the necessary details and science behind baking.
The butter should be fully runny so it mixes well with the crumbs, but not hot, otherwise it can make the mixture greasy.
When processing graham crackers in a food processor, stop as soon as you have fine, sandy crumbs. If you overprocess, the crackers can release too much fat and turn pasty, almost like cookie butter.
While preparing the crust, make sure that you press the crumbs firmly and evenly into the sides and the bottom of your springform.
To avoid a crust that’s too hard, don’t over-pack the crumbs. Firm pressure is enough — pressing too tightly can make it difficult to cut clean slices later.
Use the paddle attachment, not the whisk, to avoid whipping air into the batter.
Mix on low speed and scrape down the bowl often for a smooth, lump-free texture.
Do not overmix after adding eggs — this prevents excess air and cracks.
Always bake the cheesecake in a water bath for gentle, even heat.
Allow slow cooling in the oven before chilling to avoid sinking or splitting.
Do not cut the cheesecake until it has fully set in the refrigerator.
Use a small/medium sized saucepan with good heat distribution to avoid burning the milk when making pastry cream.
Let the cream set in the fridge before using. It will further set as it cools into a silky, pipeable consistency.
Caramelize the top only just before serving, as the brûléed layer tends to soften over time.

Nutrition