Deli-Style New York Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping and Strawberry Glaze

Method

1. Take the cream cheese, sour cream, cream and eggs out of the fridge 1 hour ahead. Line the base and sides of a 12 cm springform tin with baking paper, then wrap the outside from the bottom up in two layers of wide foil so no water can seep in (a ramekin needs no foil). Preheat the oven to 175 °C for 10 min and boil a kettle.

   oven

2. Crush the crackers finely and mix with the brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Press firmly into the base of the tin and bake in the oven for 8 min, until it smells toasty. Cool for 10 minutes and lower the oven to 150 °C.

   Add in this stepGraham crackers (or digestive biscuits) 70 gUnsalted butter, melted 25 gLight brown sugar 8 gGround cinnamon 1 pinch

   oven

3. Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer (the flat beater, if you have one) on low for 2 min, until silky, then add the sugar, cornflour and salt and mix on low. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl often.

   Add in this stepFull-fat block cream cheese, at room temperature 180 gGranulated sugar (filling) 45 gCornflour (filling) ½ tspSalt 1 pinch

4. Mix in the sour cream, cream, lemon zest and about 70% of the vanilla on low, then add the eggs in 2 or 3 additions, stopping as soon as no yellow streaks remain. Push the filling through a fine sieve: it removes lumps and bubbles and gives a perfectly smooth slice.

   Add in this stepSour cream (filling), at room temperature 35 gDouble or heavy cream (at least 35% fat), at room temperature 30 mlFinely grated lemon zest ½ tspVanilla extract ½ tspEggs, at room temperature, beaten 1

5. Pour the filling over the crust and tap out the bubbles. Set the tin in a deep roasting tin on the middle shelf and carefully pour boiling water into the roasting tin to come halfway up the cake tin (about 2–3 cm). Bake in the oven at 150 °C for 55 min, until the edges are set and the central 5 cm still wobbles like jelly. Take care not to splash yourself with the hot water.

   oven

6. Mix the topping sour cream, icing sugar and remaining vanilla. Without lifting the cake out, slide the shelf out a little, gently spread the topping over the cake starting from the edges, and bake in the oven for 8 min more. Switch off the oven, prop the door ajar and let it cool for 1 h, then lift it out of the water, remove the foil and run a knife around the edge.

   Add in this stepSour cream (topping) 55 gIcing (powdered) sugar 8 gVanilla extract ¼ tsp

   oven

7. Quarter half the strawberries and mash the rest with a fork. Put them in a 14 cm small saucepan with the glaze sugar and lemon juice and simmer over medium heat for 5 min, until very juicy. Stir the cornflour into the water, add it and keep stirring for 1 min, until the glaze turns clear, glossy and thick. Take it off the heat and cool completely.

   Add in this stepStrawberries, hulled (frozen are fine) 110 gGranulated sugar (glaze) 20 gLemon juice 1 tspCornflour (glaze) ½ tspWater 2 tbsp

   medium heat

8. Once the cake reaches room temperature, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 h, overnight. Just before serving, spoon the cold glaze on top and slice with a knife warmed in hot water and wiped dry.