Baked Cheese Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups (about 200 g)graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup (about 75 g)unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 blocks (375 g)cream cheese
• 3eggs
• 1 canthickened cream (ashta)
• 1 cancondensed milk
• 1 tspvanilla
• 2 cups (about 300 g)blueberries
• 1 tbsplemon juice
• 1/2 cup (about 100 g)sugar
• 1/2 cup (120 ml)water
• 1 tspvanilla extract
• 1 tbsp (about 8 g) mixed with 1 tbsp (15 ml) watercornflour

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the base

   Mix the melted butter with the graham cracker crumbs until evenly combined. Press the mixture firmly into the base of your cake tin.

2. 2

   Blend the filling

   Blend the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs, condensed milk, thickened cream and vanilla extract, then blend until combined and smooth.

3. 3

   Add the filling

   Pour the cheesecake mixture over the graham cracker base.

4. 4

   Bake the cheesecake

   Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Bake the cheesecake for 25 minutes.

5. 5

   Start the sauce

   While the cheesecake bakes, combine the blueberries, lemon juice, water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then add the vanilla and the cornflour mixture.

6. 6

   Thicken the sauce

   Stir the sauce well and, once it has thickened, take it off the heat.

7. 7

   Cool and top

   When the cheesecake is baked, leave it to cool on the counter, then spoon the blueberry sauce over it.

8. 8

   Chill before serving

   Once completely cool, cover the cheesecake and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

What is baked cheesecake?

Baked cheesecake is a dessert made with a cream-cheese filling set in the oven over a crumb crust. Cheesecake has a long history and many regional forms; this version uses graham crackers and a sweet, creamy filling.

Blueberry sauce adds fruit and a little tartness to balance the rich filling. The recipe keeps the method straightforward by blending the filling and cooking the topping separately.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1400 calories, 22g protein, 145g carbs, 83g fat.

The graham crackers, condensed milk and sugar provide much of the carbohydrate, while the butter, cream cheese and thickened cream contribute most of the fat. Cream cheese, eggs and dairy also provide protein. For a more balanced plate, serve a slice with fresh fruit rather than an additional rich dessert.

The crumb base

Crumbs: Use finely crushed graham crackers so the butter can coat them evenly and the base presses together without loose patches.

Pressing: Pack the mixture firmly into the tin to help it hold its shape when the cheesecake is cut.

Blending a smooth filling

Cream cheese: Blend it first until smooth, before adding the eggs and other ingredients. This helps avoid lumps in the finished mixture.

Mixing: Blend the added ingredients just until smooth and combined. The method does not specify a tin size, so use a suitable cake tin that can hold the crust and filling.

Cooking the blueberry sauce

Fruit and sugar: The blueberries, lemon juice, water and sugar are heated together until the mixture boils.

Cornflour: Stir the cornflour into its measured water before adding it, then keep mixing as the sauce thickens. Take it off the heat once it has thickened.

Checking the bake

Timing: Bake at 175°C for 25 minutes, as directed. The recipe gives no additional visual doneness cue, so avoid extending the baking time without checking the cheesecake.

Cooling: Let the cheesecake cool on the counter before adding the sauce, then chill it covered for a couple of hours. Cooling and chilling help it firm up for serving.

Serving and portioning

Slices: Divide the cheesecake into four portions as specified. A sharp knife makes cleaner cuts through the chilled filling and topping.

Pairing: Serve on its own or alongside fresh berries. The fruit offers a fresh contrast to the sweet, creamy filling.

Recipe notes & tips

• Crush the graham crackers finely so the base presses together evenly.
• Blend the cream cheese smooth before adding the other filling ingredients.
• Mix the cornflour with water before adding it to the hot blueberry mixture.
• Let the cheesecake cool before topping it with the sauce.
• Chill the covered cheesecake for a couple of hours before slicing.

Variations

• Mixed berries: Replace some or all of the blueberries with another berry.
• Citrus note: Add a little extra lemon juice to the sauce for a sharper flavour.
• Berry topping: Use raspberries in place of blueberries and cook the sauce in the same way.
• Plain topping: Serve the cheesecake without the blueberry sauce.
• Crumb swap: Use another crisp sweet biscuit in place of the graham crackers.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Lumpy filling: Blend the cream cheese until smooth before adding the eggs and other ingredients.
• Loose crumb base: Mix the butter through the crumbs thoroughly and press the mixture down firmly.
• Cornflour lumps: Mix the cornflour with water first, then stir it into the sauce.
• Sauce added too soon: Cool the cheesecake on the counter before spooning on the topping.
• Slicing too early: Chill the covered cheesecake for a couple of hours before serving.

How to store

Cover and refrigerate leftover cheesecake, and eat it within 3 days. Serve it chilled; the recipe does not specify a reheating method.

Frequently asked questions