Creamy, rich, dense, and highly indulgent Classic NEW YORK CHEESECAKE. Top it with a fresh strawberry compote, or leave it bare and simple. Either way, you won’t be stopping at just one slice! 

Ingredients :

Graham Crust

  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 16 whole crackers) 
  • 8 tablespoons (112g) melted butter 
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (12.5g) sugar 
  • pinch of salt 

Cheesecake

  • 2 pounds cream cheese (4, 8 oz cream cheese blocks) , softened 
  • 1 ¾ cup (350g) granulated sugar 
  • ¼ teaspoon (1.25g) salt 
  • 3 tablespoons (22.5g) corn starch
  • ½ cup (115g) sour cream 
  • 2  teaspoons (8.4g) vanilla extract 
  • 2 teaspoons (10ml) lemon juice 
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 4 large eggs , at room temperature 
  • ½ cup (120ml) milk 

Strawberry Topping

  • 1 lb (453.59g) strawberries , halved 
  • 1 cup (237ml) water 
  • 1 cup (200g) sugar 

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. Brush a 10 inch springform pan with butter. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and salt using a wooden spoon until evenly combined. If you like a thick crust, double the crust recipe and cook for about 5 minutes longer. 
  4. Press graham cracker mixture into bottom and up the sides of the springform pan and bake until set. About 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven. Reduce heat to 200 F.
  5. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer using a paddle attachment, cream together cream cheese, sugar, salt, and cornstarch until evenly combined - about 1 minute. Scrape sides with a rubber spatula.
  6. Add sour cream and vanilla extract and lemon juice. Mix well. 
  7. Followed by egg yolks, mix, then add whole eggs.
  8. Finally add milk and continue mixing until all the ingredients have been mixed in.
  9. Pour batter into the springform pan. Set aside for 10 minutes until bubbles form on the surface. Using a fork to pop the bubbles.  
  10. Make sure the oven is at 200 F. Then transfer springform pan to the oven and bake until set. About 3 – 3 ½ hours. The batter should jiggle a bit when nudged. To be more specific, if the center of your cake registers at 165 degrees F, then you are good to go. 
  11. Carefully take out the cheesecake from the oven and then bump up the temperature to 450 degrees F.
  12. When the oven is at 450 degrees F, return cheesecake back to the oven and place on the upper rack, bake until top is evenly browned, about 4-8 minutes. Start checking after 2-3 minutes.  It browns quickly. Remove as soon as it brown. 
  13. Remove from the oven and let cool it cool for 5 minutes; run a paring knife between cheesecake and side of the springform pan to make it easier for the cheesecake to come off when ready to slice the cake. 
  14. Let it cool down, this might take approximately 2 ½ to 3 hours. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold and firmly set, at least 6 hours or preferably overnight. You can’t rush perfection. 
  15. To get the pretty and clean slices, dip your knife in hot water. Then dry it off and slice. The warm knife will cut cleanly for pretty slices.  


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