This Vanilla Bean Cheesecake has an incredible texture – Everything that you want in cheesecake when you decide to indulge yourself.
Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
Yield: About 12 slices
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
This Vanilla Bean Cheesecake has an incredible texture - Everything that you want in cheesecake when you decide to indulge yourself.
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 8 crackers)
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 3/4 cup pecans or walnuts
Filling:
- 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 vanilla beans
- Juice of one lemon, strained (use only half a lemon if you prefer less tartness)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Topping:
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, combine the crumbs, butter, sugar, nutmeg, and nuts. Pulse until mixed thoroughly. Press the mixture into the prepared pan and 1.5 inches up the sides (it helps to use a flat bottomed, straight-sided cup to press in the crumbs). Bake the crust until it darkens a bit, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on low speed until creamy. Add sugar and beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating gently after each addition. Split vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape seeds into the cream cheese mixture. Add vanilla extract and lemon juice, and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Put the pan with the crust on the baking sheet. Pour the batter into the crust – you may have a bit too much filling, depending on the size of your pan, so don’t necessarily put it all in (you can bake the extra in a ramekin, or as I did, just eat it with a spoon). Cover the cake pan with a lid. Bake the cheesecake until the centre jiggles slightly when centre is shaken, 50-70 minutes. If it looks soupy, keep baking a few more minutes.
For topping:
- In a small bowl, combine sour cream and sugar. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the bowl, stirring well.
- When cheesecake is baked, remove from oven and pour sour cream topping over. Gently spread the topping over the cake. Return the pan to the oven for 5 more minutes.
- Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let cool for 1-2 hours. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1 sliceAmount Per Serving Calories 597Total Fat 46gSaturated Fat 24gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 17gCholesterol 161mgSodium 361mgCarbohydrates 39gFiber 1gSugar 31gProtein 9g
Nutrition data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix, and should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate.
Recipe and Photo: Sugar & Spice by Celeste