Creme Brulee Cheesecake
This Creme Brulee Cheesecake brings together the rich, creamy depth of a baked New York-style cheesecake and the iconic caramelized sugar shell of creme brulee, all sitting on a buttery graham cracker crust.
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Large mixing bowls
- Kitchen torch - Essential for caramelizing sugar topping
- Large roasting pan - For water bath
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil - For wrapping springform pan
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Food processor or zip-lock bag and rolling pin - For crushing crackers
- Wire cooling rack
- Offset spatula - Optional, for smoothing the top
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs - 150g, about 10 full graham cracker sheets
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar - 38g
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter - 70g, melted
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 24 oz full-fat cream cheese - 680g, 3 blocks of 8 oz each, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar - 200g
- 3 large eggs - room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste - Optional but highly recommended for deeper flavor and visible specks
- ¾ cup heavy cream - 180ml, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
For the Brulee Topping
- granulated sugar - 3-4 tablespoons for torching
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Double-wrap springform pan with heavy-duty foil. Grease pan interior.
- Pulse graham crackers until fine. Combine crumbs with sugar and melted butter. Press into pan and bake 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.
- Beat room-temperature cream cheese until smooth and fluffy, scraping down bowl.
- Gradually add sugar, then vanilla extract and paste. Mix until light and creamy.
- Add eggs one at a time on low speed, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Slowly pour in heavy cream on lowest speed. Add cornstarch and salt, mix briefly until combined.
- Pour filling over cooled crust. Tap pan to release air bubbles. Place in roasting pan and add hot water bath.
- Bake 55-65 minutes until edges set and center has slight wobble. Turn off oven and cool inside 1 hour with door cracked.
- Remove from water bath, unwrap, and cool on wire rack to room temperature. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Remove cheesecake from pan. Sprinkle even layer of sugar on top. Torch until melted and amber. Let harden 1-2 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use room-temperature ingredients: Cold cream cheese creates lumps; cold eggs cause the batter to seize. Pull everything from the fridge at least 1 hour before you begin.
- Do not overmix after adding the eggs: Mix on low speed and stop as soon as each egg is incorporated. Excess air is the leading cause of cracking.
- Use a proper water bath: The steam from the water bath keeps the oven humid, which prevents the surface from drying out and cracking. Do not skip it.
- Double-wrap your foil: A single layer of foil is not enough to keep water out. Use two or even three sheets, and make sure they overlap and seal well at the top.
- Torch just before serving: The caramelized topping softens and loses its crunch within 20-30 minutes. For the best texture contrast, torch the sugar right before you bring it to the table.
- Allow full overnight chilling: A cheesecake that has chilled for only a few hours is softer and harder to slice cleanly. Overnight chilling is what gives it that perfect dense, creamy texture.
- Use a hot, clean knife for slicing: Run your knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and slice. Repeat between each cut for clean, beautiful slices.
- Crust variations: Swap graham crackers for crushed Oreo cookies, Biscoff cookies, digestive biscuits, or gingersnap cookies. Use the same ratio of crumbs to butter.
- Make-ahead friendly: The cheesecake itself (without the brulee topping) can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator covered. Add the sugar and torch only when ready to serve.
- Refrigerator storage: Store the cheesecake (without the brulee topping) covered loosely with plastic wrap for up to 5 days. Torch fresh sugar on top each time you serve it for the best texture.