Are you enjoying the summer heat? Berries? Stone fruits? We have recently been on a berry binge, pigging on berries and stone fruits. Can you tell? The sheer amount of wonderful summer fruits in the markets gets my mom juices flowing. I can’t stop making all these wonderful things. I made jam, plum peach jam, Fig, and strawberry. We also made mini berry cheesecakes, blueberry bars, and blackberry nectarine crum cake.
Why make this recipe?
Most cheesecakes are large desserts baked in a 9-inch springform pan. This one is a smaller cake made in just a 7-inch springform pan. It is perfect for a small family using fewer ingredients. Of course, if you want to make this a 9-inch springform pan, just double the cheesecake filling. There are just two components to this cheesecake. The crust – Today, I am using Graham crackers for the crust. But if you don’t have or cannot find Graham crackers, you can also use my homemade cheesecake crust. The cheesecake batter is rich, creamy, and decadent, made with full-fat cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, and eggs. It uses my classic cheesecake batter as a base. The cheesecake batter bakes in 30 to 35 minutes and needs a good few hours of chilling time. Therefore, this is a perfect make-ahead dessert for entertaining family and friends.
Ingredients and substitutes
Cherry Filling – You can use store-bought cherry filling, of course, but if cherries are in season, homemade cherry filling takes just five minutes to make. Cookie crust – You don’t necessarily need a brand here; just dark-colored cookies will do. Here, I am using a brand of dark cookies similar to Oreo cookies. You can also make my homemade Cheesecake Crust from Scratch. Cream cheese – I always use Mascarpone or Philadelphia because that’s what I easily get. But any cream cheese with a fat content of over 35% works great. Sour cream – Adds a real zing – you can also use homemade sour cream for this recipe. Chocolate – Use good quality chocolate. It makes a huge difference. I’m using 60% Callebaut chocolate, but any good brand works.
Step-by-step instructions
Prepare
Pre-heat the oven to 350°F / 177°C/ Gas Mark 3. Prepare pan – Wrap the outside of a 7-inch springform pan in aluminum foil. We will also need a roasting rack larger than the springform pan.Pro tip – The aluminum foil will prevent water from entering the cheesecake while baking in a water bath. Melt chocolate – Break the chocolate into small pieces and place them in a microwave-safe bowl or double boiler. Melt at 50% power for one minute or more until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.Pro tip – It is essential to do this now so the chocolate can cool. Otherwise, the warm chocolate will seize into the batter. Place the cherry filling in a microwave-safe bowl or saucepan with 1/4 cup water. Heat until well melted. Then, press through a sieve to strain as much of the cherry puree as you can. Set aside.Pro tip – Alternatively, you can blend the cherry filling with water in a food processor to get as much out of the cherry filling as possible.
Crust
Crush the cookies in a food processor. Add sugar and melted butter, and stir to combine.Pro tip – You can also place them in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. Pour the crumbs into the prepared springform pan. Then, press the crumbs firmly to form a crust with the back of your spoon or measuring cup.Pro tip – Pressing down firmly will ensure a good base for the cheesecake, and it won’t fall apart when you cut slices. Baked in the oven for 10 minutes. Once baked, set aside to cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F / 150°C/ Gas Mark 2.
Prepare the filling
In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk paddle attachment, combine cream cheese and sour cream. Then, add the sugar. Followed by the cornflour and vanilla extract.Pro tip – The cream cheese must be at room temperature. Otherwise, the batter will be lumpy. If necessary, place a warm bowl on top of the cream cheese to help it thaw faster. Add eggs one at a time, making sure to incorporate each well.Pro tip – We want each egg to incorporate well, but we do not want to incorporate too much air into the batter. Otherwise, the top will crack when baking. So, do not overmix. Finally, add the cherry filling and the melted chocolate.Pro tip – If the chocolate is not cooled, it will seize when added to the batter, and you will end up with small shards of chocolate in the batter. So, make sure the chocolate is at room temperature.
Bake
Double boiler – Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan over the baked crust. Place the springform pan in a deep baking pan or roasting rack. Pour 2 cups of hot water into the roasting rack outside the springform pan.Pro tip – The water will create steam in the oven and prevent the custard-based cheesecake from drying out. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until set. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes on the counter. Then, run a knife or spatula around the edge of the cake, but do not remove it from the pan.Pro tip – As the cheesecake cools, it will shrink slightly. Running the knife around will prevent cracks on the top of the cheesecake. Let it cool for at least 4 hours or up to overnight in the fridge. Then, run a knife or spatula over it again and release it from the pan.Pro tip – The cake must be cooled before you pour the chocolate glaze. Otherwise, the glaze will melt off the cake. Garnish with fresh cherries or pour more cherry filling/sauce on top. Enjoy!
What is the secret to baking a perfect cheesecake?
As I have explained in the recipe and this post, there are several very important things you must remember when baking a cheesecake. The following are the five most important.
Frequently asked questions
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