1
StepCrush the biscuits to fine crumbs, mix with the melted butter, sugar and salt, and press very firmly into the base and 3 cm up the side of a 23 cm springform tin. Bake at 175 C for 10 minutes and cool.
Desserts
New York Cheesecake
A dense, tall cheesecake with a graham crumb base, baked low and slow so the top stays pale and the centre sets without cracking. Sour cream and a little flour give it the firm, sliceable texture rather than a mousse-like one. It needs a long chill before it is anywhere near ready.
105 min
Prep: 30 / Cook: 75
12
servings
Medium
Difficulty
4.6
9 Ratings
Emily Carter
This content is owned by the author and used with their consent.
Terms ↗June 29, 2026
Ingredients
For the base
- 200 g digestive biscuit
- 90 g melted butter
- 30 g caster sugar
- 1 pinch salt
For the filling
- 900 g full-fat cream cheese
- 250 g caster sugar
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 4 pieces egg
- 1 piece egg yolk
- 120 ml sour cream
- 60 ml double cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Preparation
7 Steps
2
StepWrap the outside of the tin in two layers of heavy foil so no water can seep in, and put a kettle on for the water bath.
3
StepBeat the room-temperature cream cheese on low with a paddle for 2 minutes until completely smooth, scraping the bowl twice. Add the sugar and flour and beat 1 minute more; there must be no lumps at this stage because you cannot beat them out later.
4
StepOn the lowest speed, add the eggs and yolk one at a time, mixing only until each disappears. Then mix in the sour cream, double cream, vanilla and lemon zest. The batter should be pourable and glossy, with no visible bubbles.
5
StepPour into the cooled crust and tap the tin on the counter to release trapped air. Set it in a roasting pan and pour boiling water halfway up the side of the tin.
6
StepBake at 160 C for 65 to 75 minutes. It is done when the outer 5 cm is set and the middle still wobbles as one piece when nudged; the top should stay pale ivory.
7
StepTurn the oven off, crack the door open and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour, then lift it out of the water bath and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours before releasing the ring.
Chef's Tip
Everything must be at room temperature before mixing, and mix on low speed only; air beaten into the batter is what makes a cheesecake souffle up and then crack as it cools. Chill it uncovered for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight, before slicing with a hot dry knife.
Comments (5)
hot dry knife between every slice, clean cuts all the way through
left it overnight in the fridge and the texture was completely different from four hours
do i really need the water bath if i cool it in the oven anyway?
yes. the bath keeps the edges from setting too fast, the slow cool is a separate problem.
the low speed mixing rule is doing a lot of quiet work here
first cheesecake i have made that did not crack down the middle