About this Recipe

This cheesecake is easy to make. There are so many cheesecake recipes and this is the one we wanted to make and share with you because you do not need to be a master baker to pull this one off. Cheesecake is one of those desserts that are so beautiful and appealing, you just want to bite into them.

What we like about this recipe:

1. You do not need to pre-bake the graham wafer crust, so that's one process easier than some recipes.

2. The actual mixing of the cheesecake ingredients is straight forward.

3. There are no water baths or complicated techniques with this cheesecake recipe. So long as you have your oven temperature set correctly, use your timer for the right time and leave the cheesecake in the oven AFTER it is baked, with the oven door open a few inches for a full hour, this cheesecake should take care of itself.

We chose a fresh blueberry sauce, because we just love blueberries. We wanted to make a sauce that you could combine with lemon to compliment the lemon in the cheesecake. The recipe we are sharing for the blueberry sauce is our own adaptation. We wanted the blueberries to only cook for just a couple minutes so they still maintained their structure and shape as best as possible. The decision to put chocolate shavings was mainly to make the cheesecake look very pretty for presentation. There is very little chocolate so it does not contribute significantly to the flavor, but visually the cheesecake goes from bland to Wow.

Grandmother's Tips Easy Cheesecake And Blueberry Sauce Recipe:

1. Use a springform pan. Springform pans allow you to easily pop off the sides and enjoy the visual appearance of the cheesecake.

2. As part of the method, cut the cheesecake slices ahead of time. We used a large sharp kitchen knife and cut each piece all the way through to the pan. We washed the cutting knife off with running water from the tap between cuts to each cut would come out clean. When you make a cut, the knife does gather cheesecake and crumbs so if you don't wash it between each cut, you are going to have ragged edges with bits of crumbs showing.

3. Don't put the blueberry sauce onto the cake until right before you are serving it.

4. This method of making the blueberry sauce ensures you are not going to end up with a lumpy sauce because of the cornstarch. Use a hand immersion blender to blend the lemon with the water and cornstarch before you add it to the melted butter and sugar. Make sure the heat is not too high when you melt the butter, you do not want to do more than melt it. High heat will cause it to go brown and burn quickly.

5. The chocolate should be at room temperature when you grate it. Use parchment paper under as it is easier to transfer onto the cheesecake from the paper. Don't use your fingertips at all. The chocolate will melt from the warmth on your hands. Rather use a small spoon or kitchen device to sprinkle the chocolate shavings onto the cheesecake.

6. If you start with crumbs rather than having to make them, it also is a step saver.

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Ingredients

(Print)

Makes (1) 7-inch cheesecake springform pan

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham crumbs

1/4 cup butter at room temperature

Cake Filling:

Makes (1) 7-inch springform pan sized cheesecake

250 grams full fat cream cheese at room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 Tablespoons pure lemon juice

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 cup sour cream, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Blueberry Sauce:

Makes 2 cups of blueberry sauce

1/4 cup pure lemon juice

1 Tablespoon water

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

2 Tablespoons butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 cups blueberries, frozen - defrosted overnight in the refrigerator

Chocolate:

Dark Chocolate block - Callebaut chocolate works well - you will only grate a very small amount, about an ounce.

Directions

Cheesecake:

1. Preheat the oven to 320 degrees F.

2. Grease the spring form pan with butter.

3. Place the graham crumbs into a mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter. Stir together, then using your hands and fingertips work the butter into the graham crumbs until you have combined all the butter into the crumbs creating a granular texture.

4. Place the crumbs into the prepared springform pan, press down firmly with your fingertips and then a flat rubber spatula. Make it as smooth as possible.

5. Place the crust into the refrigerator while you make the filling.

6. Filling: Add the cream cheese to a mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to beat until smooth.

7. Add the sugar and beat in. Mix for 3 minutes.

8. Add the eggs, one at a time, beat each one in. Use a spatula to bring down anything on the sides of the bowl and beat in.

9. Add the lemon juice and vanilla and stir in gently by hand.

10. Add the sour cream and cornstarch and stir in. Try not to over mix.

11. Remove the chilled crust from the refrigerator. Transfer the cheesecake mixture into the pan. Bang the pan down lightly a few times to remove any air bubbles.

12. Place into the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. We baked for 40 minutes as our oven bakes low and slow. If your oven bakes hot and fast, set the timer for 35 minutes. The cake is baked when it no longer wobbles in the center of the cake. Leave it in the oven when you check. Using oven mitts just give the pan a little nudge to see if it wobbles or not. Don’t over bake. Shut off the oven and open the oven door leaving it ajar just a few inches. Leave the cheesecake undisturbed in the oven for one more hour. The cake continues to bake while it is sitting in the oven. Remove the cheesecake and place onto a cooling rack until the cake comes to room temperature then place it into the refrigerator covered for a minimum of 4 hours or even better make a day ahead and let sit overnight. The flavors will be more delicious if it sits longer.

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Directions

Blueberry Sauce

1. Measure out all the ingredients.

2. In a one cup glass measuring cup or small but tall vessel, add the lemon juice, water and cornstarch. Use the hand immersion blend to blend together so the cornstarch is fully combined into the wet ingredients.

3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, over medium low heat. Add the sugar and the liquids and use a heat proof silicone spatula to stir the mixture together. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring.

4. Turn down the heat and add the blueberries and gently stir in. Bring the heat back up to medium high and continue cooking until the mixture comes to a boil again. Stir gently with the spatula so you keep the blueberries whole. Let cook a minute, shut off and remove from the heat.

5. Transfer to a glass measuring cup or bowl. Let cool to room temperature, cover and place into the refrigerator to cool. It is best to make the same day you make the cheesecake and we suggest making both recipes one day ahead of serving. You want the blueberry sauce to be nice and cold when you spoon it onto the cheesecake.

Directions

Chocolate Garnish

1. Have the chocolate at room temperature.

2. Place a piece of parchment paper on the counter. Using a vegetable peeler, make the chocolate peels.

3. Don't touch with your fingertips as the warmth of your hand could melt the chocolate.

4. Sprinkle onto the cheesecake as desired.

ENJOY!

Return to this Easy Cheesecake And Blueberry Sauce recipe or check out more recipes at Grandmother's Kitchen

A cheesecake is like the canvas of a painting. There are many variations to how to make the cheesecake as well as what to serve with it. Any variety of fruit glaze pairs perfectly. Some people like to serve with fresh fruit. We have a nice recipe for Easy Homemade Chocolate Sauce which would appease the chocolate lover and add a very nice flavor to the cheesecake.

There are several methods you can use to make a cheesecake. Baking is the most traditional technique and dates back to ancient Greek times. Using a waterbath makes the cheesecake less likely to crack in baking and makes for a light texture. You can make a cheesecake in a pressure cooker and there are chilled cheesecakes recipes that don't require any baking at all.

Sour cream is used in many cheesecake recipes and heavy cream is sometimes called for, depending on the type of cheesecake you are making. Cream cheese is at room temperature for cheesecake recipes. This is because a soft cream cheese has a creamier consistency and it blends better with the other ingredients. Cold cream cheese will result in a lumpy mixture. If the recipe says all the ingredients should be room temperature, then don't think its okay to take eggs from the refrigerator at the last minute and add them in. There is a reason for this. The ingredients combine together differently if they are not all room temperature.

When you see a slice of cheesecake, the ideal picture you are looking for is that the crust is an even flat surface without dips in it. To achieve this, be sure when you are pressing down the crust, you press down firmly and evenly.

Most importantly, have fun with this dessert. It is a dessert we only make for very special occasions, but because it feels more like creating a little piece of art, it is always such a joy to prepare. We did the nutritional information without the blueberry sauce just for the interest of the calorie intake per serving and the difference is 315 calories without the blueberry sauce to the 354 calories with the blueberry sauce.