Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups (150g) Graham Cracker Crumbs
  • ¼ cup (50g) Granulated Sugar (for crust)
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) Unsalted Butter, melted
  • 4 (8-oz) blocks full fat Cream Cheese, softened completely to room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) Granulated Sugar (for filling)
  • 4 large Eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (240ml) Full fat Sour Cream, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120ml) Full fat Heavy Cream, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons Good quality Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 2 tablespoons (16g) All-Purpose Flour

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Combine graham cracker crumbs, ¼ cup sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake crust for 8–10 minutes until fragrant. Cool completely.
  2. Wrap the outside bottom and sides of the cooled springform pan tightly with 2–3 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent water seepage during the water bath.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides frequently.
  4. Gradually beat in the 1 ½ cups of sugar until just combined and slightly fluffy. Mix in the sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and lemon juice until smooth.
  5. Gently whisk in the flour until just incorporated. Do not overmix from this stage onward.
  6. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on the lowest speed only until each yolk disappears. Stop mixing immediately after the last egg is incorporated to avoid introducing excess air.
  7. Pour the filling over the cooled crust in the prepared pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles.
  8. Place the foil-wrapped springform pan into a large roasting pan. Place the roasting pan onto the center oven rack. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the side of the springform pan (the water bath).
  9. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 250°F (120°C) and continue baking for 55–70 minutes. The edges should be set, but the center should still have a slight wobble.
  10. Turn off the oven, prop the oven door open slightly, and leave the cheesecake inside the water bath in the cooling oven for 1 hour to cool slowly and prevent cracking.
  11. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, remove the foil, and let it cool on a wire rack at room temperature for another hour.
  12. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 8 hours, preferably overnight, before slicing and serving.