New York Baked Cheesecake

a slice of cheesecake on a plate, with lemon and fresh berries.

5 from 4 votes

Smooth, creamy and indulgent, this New York baked cheesecake is a truly special dessert. It features an ultra-creamy cheesecake filling, sandwiched between a buttery biscuit base and a tangy lemon and sour cream topping. And the best part? No water bath needed!

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Setting Time10

Total Time1 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 546kcal

Author: Andrea Geddes

Equipment

1 x 20 cm springform baking tin
beaters (handheld or stand mixer)

Ingredients

For the biscuit base

200 grams Arnott's Granita biscuits or Digestives, or Graham Crackers
2 tablespoons raw caster sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt table salt
90 grams unsalted butter melted

For the filling

850 grams cream cheese full fat, softened completely at room temperature
215 grams raw caster sugar (1 cup)
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
1 pinch salt
2 teaspoons lemon zest finely zested
1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
30 grams plain flour 3 tablespoons, sifted
4 large eggs room temperature
1 cup sour cream (250ml) room temperature

For the sour cream topping

⅔ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons raw caster sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice fresh

Instructions

For the biscuit base

Grease a 20cm springform baking tin and line the bottom of the tin with baking paper. Make sure the sides are well greased.
Crush the Granita biscuits in a food processor to fine crumbs.
In a mixing bowl, mix the biscuit crumbs, sugar, salt and melted butter together until completely combined.
Use the back of a spoon to firmly press the mixture into the prepared baking tray, until level. Chill the base in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, to set.

For the filling

Pre-heat oven to 220°C/200°C fan (428F). Position an oven shelf in the middle of the oven.
Using handheld beaters or a stand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, caster sugar, vanilla, salt, lemon zest and juice together until well combined and creamy (around 1 minute). Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally, when needed.
Sift in the flour and mix until just combined.
On the lowest speed, mix in the eggs one at a time, until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
*Don't overmix or the batter will become too aerated, which can cause cracks.
Use a spatula to gently fold in the sour cream until the mixture is smooth and light. Don't overmix.
Pour the filling into the chilled biscuit base and use a spatula to smooth and level the top.

Bake

Place the cheesecake on a baking tray to catch any drips of butter (or place a tray on the shelf below). Place the cheesecake on the middle rack in the oven.
Bake at 220°C/200°C fan-forced for 10 minutes. Then, leaving the oven door closed, turn the temperature down to 110°C/90°C fan-forced and continue to bake for a further 50 minutes. *Don't open the oven door during the baking time, or the surface may crack.
After 50 minutes of baking at 110°C/90°C fan-forced, check the cheesecake consistency. A slight, gentle jiggle of the tin (while still in the oven) should tell you if it's ready or needs more time. It should be lightly golden on top, with set edges and should have a slight wobble in the middle but not liquid. If it seems very liquidy at this point, give it a further 5-10 minutes. When checking, don't leave the oven open too long.
Once the cheesecake is fairly firm but with a slight wobble, turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake inside for 2-3 hours, to cool down. Resist the urge to open the oven door during this time. The cheesecake needs to cool slowly as the oven cools. Cooling slowly will prevent cracking. One of the most common causes of cracking is a drastic temperature change from hot to cold.
*As it cools, you can crack open the oven door slightly (only 1-2cm) for a cheesecake that is soft and creamy in the centre, or leave the oven door completely closed for a more set and fluffy texture.

For the sour cream topping

Once the cheesecake has cooled in the oven for 2-3 hours, gently remove it from the oven.
Mix the sour cream, sugar and lemon juice together until combined. Spread the sour cream mixture over the top of the cheesecake, right to the edges.
Place the cheesecake (still in the tin) into an airtight container and refrigerate overnight to finish setting.

To serve

Loosen the edges of the tin before releasing the sides. You can gently run a knife along the edges, if needed. Gently pry the bottom of the tin away from the cheesecake base and remove the baking paper before placing onto a serving plate.
Cut into slices of your desired size and serve on its own, or with fresh berries.

Video

Notes

Use room temperature ingredients. Remove the cold ingredients from the fridge 60 minutes before you start. Room temperature ingredients will blend more easily, preventing a lumpy batter. It also ensures the batter doesn’t need to be overmixed to bring everything together, as overmixing can lead to the cheesecake cracking.
Place a baking tray underneath the cheesecake, to catch any drips of butter from the biscuit base. It can be placed directly underneath the tin, or on the shelf below.
Don’t overmix the batter. Try not to overbeat the cheesecake mixture once you have added the eggs. The filling needs to be smooth and combined, without incorporating too much air. Aerating the batter can cause bubbles, which will make the cheesecake rise too quickly and then collapse as it cools, leading to a cracked surface.
Scrape the sides of the bowl several times while mixing, to ensure the mixture is even and lump-free.
Use a 20cm springform tin, where possible. Larger tins give more room for the cheesecake to contract.
Let the cheesecake cool slowly. It needs to gradually cool in the oven before being transferred to the fridge. Cooling too quickly can also cause cracks.
Don’t skip the chilling time. Allow plenty of time for it to chill in the fridge, so that it sets properly and you can easily slice it. Overnight is best, but it needs at least 6 hours chilling time.
Wipe the knife in between slices, to make the slices as clean and sharp as possible.
The cheesecake surface shouldn’t crack, but if it does, just cover with the sour cream layer and when set, hide it with loads of fresh berries!
For a softer, creamier filling, crack open the oven door slightly while the cheesecake cools in the oven. For a drier and fluffier filling, leave the door closed completely to cool.
Storage; the cheesecake is best eaten on the day after it is made, but will last for around 4 days in the fridge, stored in an airtight container.
Freezing; either the entire cheesecake can be frozen whole, or it can be sliced and frozen in individual serves. Wrap the cheesecake well in plastic wrap, before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. When well wrapped and covered, it will last for 2 months in the freezer, but is best eaten in the first month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before eating.
Please note that the nutrition information is based on the cheesecake being divided into 10 slices, with one slice being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the cheesecake.
This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Any reference to cups or spoons in this recipe is in Australian metric. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.

Nutrition