Homemade Blueberry Cheesecake
This Blueberry Cheesecake is obsessively delicious. The cheesecake is decadent on its own, but smother it with sweet and tangy homemade blueberry sauce and you have got yourself a new favourite dessert that you will be making again and again! This Blueberry Cheesecake is also super easy to make as a pie and extra delicious with a vanilla wafer crust! Even if you have never made cheesecake before, I have included detailed instructions, tips, and tricks to help you make the PERFECT Blueberry Cheesecake!
PREP TIME:25 MINS
COOK TIME:45 MINS
TOTAL TIME:1 HR 10 MINS
SERVINGS: 12 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
VANILLA WAFER CRUST
- 45 vanilla wafers (heaping 1-½ cups crumbs)
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons sugar
CHEESECAKE
- 2 8 oz. blocks cream cheese softened
- 1 egg yolk at room temperature
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sugar
Blueberry Sauce or Syrup
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (like 3 oranges)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon +1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 3 half-pints fresh blueberries (6 oz. is a half-pint)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- lemon zest from 1-2 lemons (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Crust: In a food processor, pulse vanilla wafers until finely ground (or grind by hand). Pulse in the butter and sugar until well combined. Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan that has not been oiled.
- Bake at 350°F for 8-10 mins, or until the crust begins to brown. Allow cooling completely.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F for the cheesecake. Cream cheese should be whipped for 3-5 minutes (no less!). Beat in the sugar for 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until just combined after each addition. When combined, add the sour cream and vanilla. Pour the filling over the cooled crust.
- Put the pie pan in a big roasting pan and fill it with warm water halfway up the sides of the pie pan. At 325°F, bake for 45 minutes.
- The centre of the cheesecake should still jiggle (this would firm up after chilling), and the edges should be mostly set. After 45 minutes, turn off the oven and open the oven door. Allow 30 minutes to cool in the cracked oven.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool completely on a rack before chilling in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- While the cheesecake is baking, make the Blueberry Sauce according to the package directions (will thicken as it chills).
- Refrigerate separately from the cheesecake.
- Spoon blueberry sauce over cheesecake when ready to serve.
Blueberry Sauce or Syrup Instructions:
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved, then bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Boil for 5 minutes, or until thickened, then add blueberries and cook for another 5 minutes, or until a few berries have burst but the majority are still whole. Stir in the vanilla.
- If desired, add lemon zest from 1 lemon for more tang.
- Serve instantly for warm syrup/sauce, or chill in an airtight container in the refrigerator for cheesecake topping. As it cools, the blueberry syrup gets thicker.
NOTES
- Make use of a water bath: the hot water insulates the outer edges of the cheesecake, preventing them from baking faster than the centre.
- Ingredients at room temperature: Room temperature eggs, sour cream, and softened cream cheese mix more easily and evenly, lowering the risk of cracking.
- Cream cheese that has been properly softened will be smooth and free of lumps.
- Mix properly: Mix the cream cheese and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Do not look up! To avoid cracking, do not open the oven door while the Blueberry Cheesecake is baking. Opening the door significantly reduces the temperature, causing your cheesecake to sink and crack.
- Do not overbake the cheesecake: Overbaking causes the filling to shrink and crack. The edges should be firm, but the centre should wobble slightly when shaken.
- Gently cool: Sudden temperature changes can cause cracks, so cooling the cheesecake in the oven and then on the counter before placing it in the refrigerator allows it to gradually adjust to each temperature.
- If your Blueberry Cheesecake still has cracks, cover them up with Blueberry Sauce!
JANJA
SUPER !