What is a substitute for sour cream?

If you don't have access to store-bought sour cream, I highly recommend making sour cream at home. You have to prepare it 12-24 hours in advance. Mix 1 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup milk and 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar in an airtight container or mason jar. Cover and rest at room temperature overnight or up to 1 day. Then mix again, and your sour cream is ready! Excess can be stored in the fridge.

I don't have graham crackers, what can I use instead?

You can use wheat digestive biscuits instead of graham crackers.

Can I prepare this cheesecake ahead of time?

Yes! This cheesecake keeps well in the refrigerator for several days. I recommend saving the strawberry compote for the end though, as the strawberries become softer over time and the compote releases more water.

Can cheesecake be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze the cheesecake without the compote, and defrost is overnight in the fridge before eating.

Can I halve this recipe?

Yes. You can halve all the quantities and bake the cheesecake in a 9" pan for ~45-50 minutes (for a thinner cheesecake), or in a 6-7" pan. I am not sure about the exact baking time for the 6-7" pan.

The BEST Strawberry Cheesecake

Description

This strawberry cheesecake is pure perfection: my with my perfect, creamy and luscious cheesecake that hundreds of you have tried and loved, this version is topped off with a simple strawberry compote that perfectly complements the flavor and adds a freshness that is much desired in summer months. If there's one recipe of mine you try this summer, let it be this one!

Ingredients

Cheesecake Crust:

190g graham crackers
35g sugar (about 3 tbsp)
75g melted unsalted butter (about 5 tbsp)

Cheesecake Batter:

32 oz full-fat cream cheese (4 8oz blocks), at room temperature
325g granulated sugar (1 ½ cups)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 large eggs, room temperature
120g heavy cream (½ cup), room temperature
240g sour cream (1 cup), room temperature
1 tbsp cornstarch
2-3 tablespoon lemon juice

Strawberry compote:

1 lb strawberries, roughly chopped in large chunks
55g sugar (1/4 cup)
1 tsp cornstarch
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Fresh strawberries for decoration (optional)

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Instructions

Cheesecake:

Bring all ingredients to room temp
Preheat oven to 350F (conventional)
Grind your Graham crackers, sugar and butter in a food processor until really smooth
Butter the bottom of a 9” springform pan and add the crust ingredients. Pack very tightly using a measuring cup. You can push a little up the edges. Bake the crust for 8 min, then set oven temp to 325F
For the cheesecake batter, first cream the cream cheese for 2-3 min until creamy. Keep scraping the sides of the bowl to ensure everything combines evenly. Add the sugar and mix again for 3-5 min until well combined
Break your eggs in a separate bowl and whisk lightly. Don’t overbeat because if the eggs get airy they will give a spongy texture to the cheesecake. Add them to the batter slowly and mix at a low speed until JUST combined
Add the cream, sour cream, lemon juice, salt, vanilla and cornstarch and mix at low speed until just combined. Keep scraping sides of the bowl
Pour the batter into the crust. Seal your pan tightly with aluminum foil on the outside (not on the top)
Place a large tray in your oven and fill it with 1-2 inches of boiling water. Place the pan in the water and bake for about 75-80 min. Don’t open the oven. When done, the cheesecake should have firm edges but be very jiggly inside
Cool at room temp for 2-3 hours. After this, place in the fridge and chill overnight

Strawberry Compote:

Mix the strawberries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a nonstick saucepan. Stir and cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes until the mixture becomes saucy and thick (it will thicken up more as it cools). If you like compote to be very soft, you can cook for longer. If you want the strawberries to have a bite, you can cook for less time. Let the compote cool down fully
Transfer the cooled cheesecake to a serving stand, and cover with the strawberry compote
Decorate with fresh strawberries, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

Use full-fat ingredients for best results
If graham crackers aren't available where you live, look for wheat digestive biscuits
Make sure to use a tight springform pan to ensure water doesn't leak in. You can also use a water bath pan that is made for cheesecakes!
Make sure you let your cheesecake fully cool down overnight before serving - otherwise it won't be set and the texture will not be ideal
You can replace the strawberries with other berries of choice, too

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 75 min
Category: Desserts
Cuisine: American