Pin it
This baked cheesecake has a smooth, creamy filling mixed with blueberries and topped with blueberry sauce. The texture is light but rich, making it a perfect dessert for cheesecake fans.
Why Make This Cheesecake
The cheesecake combines a crunchy base with smooth filling and fresh blueberries. It's simple to make but looks impressive. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries, so you can make it any time of year.
Pin it
Ingredients
- Marie or Graham Crackers: For the base. Digestive biscuits work too.
- Unsalted Butter: Melted, to hold the base together.
- Cream Cheese: Must be soft for smooth mixing.
- Plain Flour: Helps the cake set.
- Vanilla Extract: For flavor. Vanilla bean works too.
- Full-Fat Sour Cream: Makes it creamy. Use full-fat yogurt if needed.
- Caster Sugar: Dissolves better than regular sugar.
- Lemon Zest: From one lemon. Adds fresh taste.
- Eggs: Room temperature for smooth mixing.
- Blueberries: Fresh or frozen work fine.
- Lemon Juice: For the sauce.
- White Sugar: For the sauce.
- Cornflour: Thickens the sauce.
- Water: For mixing cornflour.
Instructions
- Start Oven:
- Heat to 160°C (320°F). For fan ovens, use 140°C. Put rack in middle.
- Prepare Pan:
- Use 8-inch springform pan. Line bottom with baking paper. Grease sides and line with paper.
- Make Base:
- Crush crackers to fine crumbs. Mix with melted butter until wet sand texture. Press into pan bottom and slightly up sides.
- Make Filling:
- Beat soft cream cheese until smooth (20 seconds). Mix in flour, then vanilla, sour cream, sugar, and lemon zest. Add eggs one at a time, mixing just enough.
- Add Blueberries:
- Fold in 250g blueberries gently. Pour over base.
- Bake:
- Cook 70 minutes until light golden. Turn off oven, open door slightly, leave 2 hours to cool slowly.
- Chill:
- Put in fridge 4 hours or overnight.
- Make Sauce:
- Cook 1 cup blueberries with sugar, vanilla, lemon juice for 7 minutes until syrupy. Mix cornflour with water, stir in to thicken. Add remaining blueberries.
- Finish:
- Cool sauce, spread on cold cheesecake. Chill again before serving.
Making the Base
The base needs the right mix of crushed crackers and butter. Blend crackers into fine crumbs, mix with melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Press firmly into pan bottom and up sides using a flat cup. This makes a strong base for the filling.
Making the Filling
Use block cream cheese for best results. Add blueberries carefully - if using frozen ones, don't thaw first to keep the filling white. Add sour cream for lighter texture and lemon zest for fresh taste. Mix gently to prevent air bubbles that can cause cracks. No water bath needed - the slow cooling prevents cracks.
Making the Topping
The sauce works with fresh or frozen berries. Cook berries with sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla until soft. Add cornflour mixed with water to thicken. The sauce might stain utensils but makes the cheesecake look and taste better. It covers the whole top with sweet, thick berry sauce.
Preventing Cracks
Cool the cheesecake slowly to prevent cracks. Leave it in the turned-off oven with door slightly open. This gentle cooling helps keep the texture smooth and stops the top from cracking. If it cracks anyway, the berry sauce will cover it.
Pin it
Sauce Options
Try different berries in the sauce. Raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries all work well. Keep the sauce thick enough to stay on top of the cheesecake but not too thick. Change the berries based on what's in season.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I use frozen berries?
- Don't thaw them first
- Add them while still frozen
- Cook a few minutes longer
- Might make batter a bit purple
- Works in topping too
- They're usually cheaper than fresh
- → How do I stop it from cracking?
- Let cream cheese get really soft
- Don't mix too much
- Use room temp eggs
- Don't open oven while baking
- Cool slowly
- Put a pan of water in the oven
- Small cracks are normal
- → Best way to serve it?
- Keep it cold
- Use a sharp knife
- Clean knife between cuts
- Cut straight down
- Warm knife in hot water
- Let sit 5-10 minutes before eating
- Add topping just before serving
- → Can I use yogurt instead of sour cream?
- Use full-fat Greek yogurt
- Strain it if it's watery
- Same amount as sour cream
- Might taste a bit tangier
- Regular yogurt's too thin
- Don't use flavored yogurt
- → How long does it keep?
- Good for 4 days in fridge
- Cover it well
- Keep away from smelly foods
- Don't freeze (gets grainy)
- Bring to room temp to serve
- Topping might get runny after day 2
Conclusion
Like this recipe? Try adding lemon to a plain cheesecake or make it with raspberries instead. They all start with the same base but end up tasting totally different.