I made a Cheesecake for dessert for the Chinese New Year Hotpot gathering. I love cheesecake but I have never try making one myself until recently. This recipe is adapted from Spices Corner with some minor adjustments to it. Thanks to Spices Corner for sharing the recipe. I made the adjustments because the cheesecake came out cracked the second time I made it.
This cheesecake is a lighter version with the combination of cream cheese and sour cream. I glazed the cheesecake with apricot jam.
The photo below is my first attempt to make the cheesecake. It came out a bit too brown on top. I managed to get the right colour by covering the springform pan with a tin foil after 30 minutes of baking.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 cup graham cookies crumb
- 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
- 3 teaspoons sugar
For the cheesecake:
- 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 teaspoons corn starch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 eggs
Click on the link below for the instructions.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325F. Lower the heat by 25F if using a dark nonstick springform pan.
 Mix crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a bowl.Lined the bottom of a springform pan with parchment paper. This will ease the removal of the cake from the pan after baking. Grease the sides of the pan generously to prevent the cake from cracking as the cake cools because the cake will be able to pull away from the sides easily. Press firmly the crumb mixtures onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. |
 Combine the softened cream cheese, sugar, corn starch and vanilla in to medium bowl.Beat the cream cheese mixture with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended and there is no lumps in the cream cheese. |
 Add the sour cream and mix well with a spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Do not overbeat as the air created in the eggs will caused the cake to crack. |
 Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust. Bake for 30 minutes and cover the spring form pan with a tin foil. Continue to bake for another 15 minutes and switch off the oven. Let the cake to cool in the oven for one hour. |
 Run a knife or metal spatula around the rim of the pan to loosen the cake. Cool before removing the rim of the springform pan. |
 To glaze the cheesecake which is optional, microwave 2 tablespoons of jam (apricot or strawberry) with 1/2 tablespoon of water until its melted, about 30 to 40 seconds. Spread the glaze on top of the cake.Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours or overnight. |
To slice the cake, dip your knife into a tall container with hot water before slicing. After each slice, redip the knife into the hot water again to prevent the cream cheese from sticking to the knife.
Here’s a baking tip from my past life in a professional French bakery. Use a round piece of parchment paper (the cooking kind, not the writing kind). Just put it on top of the cake before baking. Since paper has a burning point of ~450 degrees Fahrenheit (which Bradbury referenced in Fahrenheit 457), the parchment paper will absorb the some of the heat and keep the top from browning or cracking. Since the paper is coated with silicon, it will peel right off once the cheesecake cools. This technique is best used for cheesecakes you intend to glaze, since it prevents the artistic browning you see on New York style cheesecakes, which aren’t glazed.
The cheesecake is very very nice. I took 1 slice, ate 1/2 of it and the rest was eaten by my boy:( I will definately try this recipe. Suanne, thank you for posting this at Chowtimes.
Hi there, I really enjoy reading and looking at all the picture of different foods on your site! I’m just wondering what kind of camera you use?
Hi Ling: I uses a dSLR camera. Specifically, I have a Canon 350D/XT. My favorite lens for the food shots is the 17-40mm f4/L lens. Oh yeah, having a good powerful flash is also important because most of the food shots are indoors. I have a very clumsy tripod and so most of the shots are handheld.
Hi Chubbypanda, I will try the parchment paper the next time I make one. Thanks for the tip.
Sis, your cheesecake really look delicious. How’s your CNY celebration, tomorrow is “yuen siu” already.
how many degree should we bake the cake at?????
Hi ling ling, the temperature of the oven should be 325F or 300F if using dark pan. It is stated at the very beginning of the instruction section.
bonjour je suis francaise .. j’aimerai avoir pour faire le frosting cream cheese cest du beuure ? ou creme fraiche ou fromage blanc? merci