Best Blueberries & Cream Cheesecake
Submitted by ruaidhri
Blueberries and cream cheesecake bakes 5 packages of cream cheese over a vanilla wafer crust, finished with a glossy fresh blueberry topping. Make ahead, chill overnight for clean slices.
YIELD
18 servingsPREP
40 minCOOK
1½ hrsREADY
10 hrsBlueberries and cream cheesecake is a special-occasion bake that earns its reputation through patience, not flash. Five full packages of cream cheese get whipped to silk over a long, slow beating, building a filling so dense and creamy each forkful pulls clean from the slice without crumbling.
The two-stage bake is what locks the texture in. A blast of high heat to set the top, then a long, low finish at 200°F (95°C) coaxes the center into custard territory without cracking. The hour-long oven-off cool-down afterward is the same trick pastry chefs use to prevent the dreaded fault-line down the middle.
A fresh blueberry topping in cornstarch-thickened sugar syrup spoons over the top, holding its glossy bite without going jammy.
Pro Tips
- Use room-temperature cream cheese, eggs, and cream. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps you cannot beat out, no matter how long you mix.
- Beat the cream cheese alone first, before sugar joins. The full 25 minutes seems excessive but it’s what gives the cake its glassy texture.
- Do not open the oven door during the hour-off rest. Sudden temperature drops are the number-one cause of cheesecake cracks.
- Plan ahead. The overnight chill is essential for the filling to firm up and the flavors to settle.
Variations
- Swap the vanilla wafer crust for graham cracker crumbs for a classic profile.
- Use mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) for a more colorful topping.
- Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the filling to cut the richness with bright citrus.
Ingredients
Directions
For crust:
Combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press into bottom and halfway up sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Cover and refrigerate.
For filling:
Beat cream cheese 25 minutes in a large bowl, adding 1 package at a time. Add sugar and beat 5 minutes longer. Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating 2 minutes after each addition. Beat in flour and vanilla. Beat in cream.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Pour filling into crust. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 200℉ (100℃) F. Bake 1 hour. Turn oven off and leave cake in oven 1 hour without opening door. Cool completely on a wire rack. Remove sides of pan.
For topping:
Combine cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water in small bowl; stir until smooth. Combine sugar and remaining 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
Stirring constantly, add cornstarch mixture and cook until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Stir in blueberries.
Spoon topping over cheesecake. Loosely cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.
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