Classic Baked Cheesecake

A good baked cheesecake is dense, creamy and just tart enough, with a buttery crumb base and a top that has barely coloured. It is one of the simplest desserts to make well, provided you understand two things: do not overbeat the batter, and do not overbake the filling.

Cheesecake’s two classic faults

• Cracks — usually from overbeating (which whips air into the batter) or overbaking (which dries and shrinks it).
• Graininess — from using cold cream cheese or a low-fat type that does not blend smooth.

Ingredients (serves 8–10)

Base

• 200 g digestive biscuits or graham crackers, crushed
• 80 g butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Filling

• 600 g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 150 g caster sugar
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 150 ml sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• A pinch of salt

Method

1. Mix the crushed biscuits, melted butter and sugar, press into the base of a springform tin and chill.
2. Beat the cream cheese and sugar together on low speed just until smooth. Do not whip.
3. Add the eggs one at a time on low speed, then the sour cream, vanilla, cornflour and salt. Stop as soon as it is combined.
4. Pour over the base and smooth the top.
5. Bake at 160°C / 320°F for about 50–60 minutes, until the edges are set and the centre still wobbles slightly.
6. Turn the oven off, crack the door open and leave the cheesecake inside for an hour — the gradual cooling prevents cracks.
7. Chill overnight before serving.

The water bath question

A water bath (baking the tin in a roasting pan of hot water) gives the smoothest, most even texture and is the pastry-chef method. It is not strictly necessary if you bake gently and cool slowly, but it is the difference between good and flawless. If you use one, wrap the tin in foil to keep water out.

Serving

Serve plain, or with a fruit coulis, fresh berries or a little whipped cream. It keeps for several days in the fridge, covered.

Try a no-bake version when you want something faster, or a ricotta cheesecake for a lighter, Italian-style result.