Crust:

1. Prepare a 9" springform pan. Lightly brush softened butter inside the pan and line it with parchment paper (I recommend a parchment circle on the base, and a separate strip of parchment along the sides of the pan)
2. Grind the graham crackers in a food processor until they form a fine crumb (you can also use a pestle or rolling pin if you don't have a food processor). Add the melted butter and salt, and blitz again to combine. The mixture will still be crumbly, which is ok
3. Transfer the crust ingredients to the pan, and tightly pack them down using the back of a large spoon or a measuring cup. The tighter you do this, the crispier the crust will be, so take your time!
4. Place the pan in the fridge to refrigerate the crust while you work on the filling

Cheesecake filling:

1. Add the room temperature cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla to the bowl of your stand mixer (you can also use a hand mixer). Use the paddle attachment to mix at medium speed about about ~2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula 1-2 times along the way
2. Add in the sour cream and lemon juice, and whisk until just combined - scrape the bowl again
3. In a separate bowl, use a hand mixer to whisk the heavy cream until it reaches stiff peaks (meaning it holds shape). Take care not to overmix as that can cause the cream to split and become grainy
4. Add the whipped cream to the cheesecake mixer, and gently fold it in using a rubber spatula. Only mix until just combined - the mixture will be quite thick and fluffy! 
5. Remove the pan from the fridge and add the cheesecake filling on top of the crust. Use a spatula to press down the filling to remove any air pockets, then spread it out evenly
6. Cover the pan with cling wrap on top (shouldn't touch the surface of the cheesecake) and refrigerate overnight (or at least 6 hours) until fully set
7. Once set, carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan. Using the parchment paper on the bottom and the sides will make this easier, and you should be able to peel it off. To transfer the cheesecake from the base of the pan to a serving stand, use two larger spatulas and some help! When the crust is chilled, it is pretty firm which makes this easier

Decoration (optional):

1. Whip up the heavy cream until it forms medium-stiff peaks and transfer it to a piping bag with a star piping tip of choice
2. Use a knife to mark impressions where you think the slices will go on the cheesecake. Then pipe a dollop of whipped cream on the edge of each slice, and place a berry on top to garnish
3. Serve & enjoy!