Creme Patisserie:

• Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until the eggs are broken
• Heat the cream until it starts to simmer, then slowly pour over the egg mixture while continuously whisking
• Strain the mixture through a fine sieve mesh twice, and set aside to cool down

Crust:

• Preheat oven to 350F (conventional) and butter the bottom of a 9" springform pan. Wrap 2-3 sheets of aluminum foil on the outside of the pan tightly (along the bottom and outer edges) so water cannot get in
• Crush the Nilla Wafers and melted butter in a food processor until they form a fine crumb
• Transfer to the pan and press down as tightly as you can into a crust. I like to push some up the sides too
• Bake for 7-8 min. Once done, change the oven temperature to 325F (conventional)

Cheesecake filling:

• Add the cream cheese, sugar and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer, and whisk using the paddle attachment for 2-3 min until creamy. Scrape the edges and bottom of the bowl in the middle to ensure everything is well combined
• Add the cooled down creme patisserie in 3 additions, whisking slowly between each for just 15-20 seconds. In the last addition, also add the sifted cornstarch and lemon juice. Scrape the bowl and whisk for just 15-20 seconds or until the ingredients are just combined, taking care not to overmix

Baking:

• Pour the cheesecake batter into the pan with the baked crust. Shake gently and tap the pan on the counter 30-40 times to remove air bubbles. You can also run a skewer gently through the batter
• Place a large tray in the oven (middle rack) and place the cheesecake pan in the middle. Pour 1-2" of boiling water into the tray so the cheesecake pan is dipped in water on the outside (this is a water bath). Make sure no water gets into the cheesecake pan
• Close the oven door and bake for ~80-85 minutes. You can open the oven door around 75 min to check for doneness. The cheesecake should be jiggly in the middle but firm around the edges
• Remove the cheesecake pan from the oven once baked, and leave it uncovered at room temperature for 15 minutes. Then take a butter knife and gently run it around the edge of the cheesecake (between the pan and the cheesecake)
• Cool at room temp for 2-3 hours, then transfer to the fridge and chill overnight (uncovered)

Brulee top:

• The next day, carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan and place it onto your serving board
• Sprinkle the sugar onto the cheesecake in thin layers, and use your blowtorch to caramelize it (it should melt and reach a deep golden color). Doing this in thin layers will speed up the process and achieve even caramelization
• Serve & enjoy!

Video Tutorial:

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