Brown Sugar Cheesecake
Creamy, smooth, with a sour cream topping and the unmistakable caramel flavor that only brown sugar can achieve. It keeps well and can be frozen.
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup ground almonds
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the filling:
- 3 ½ cups cream cheese at room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream at room temperature
- ¼ cup heavy cream at room temperature
- 4 eggs
For the topping:
- 1 ½ cups sour cream at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons bourbon whisky, brandy or cognac
Instructions
For the crust:
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl until it looks like wet sand.
- Line the bottom of a 9 inch (24cm) springform pan with aluminum foil and attach the sides.
- Press cookie mixture onto bottom and up sides of the pan (about 1 inch). Refrigerate while preparing the filling.
For the filling:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- In a large bowl beat cream cheese, butter and sugar until completely smooth.
- Add molasses, vanilla, sour cream and cream and beat just until incorporated.
- Add eggs, one at a time, barely waiting for one to incorporate before adding the next one.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes.
- Lower oven temperature to 300ºF/150ºC and bake for 40 minutes more. Keep oven on.
- Remove cake and carefully spread topping on. Cheesecake will be wobbly.
- Return to the oven, bake for another 5 minutes and turn the oven off. Leave cheesecake for one hour inside the oven without opening the door.
- Remove to a wire rack, let cool completely, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
For the topping:
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
To serve cheesecake:
- Remove sides from springform pan and lift aluminum foil.
- Place cake on serving plate and decorate with nuts.
- Keep refrigerated.
Notes
Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use an oven thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend tracking how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Use a different nut in the crust. Pecans and walnuts work very well.
Substitute the bourbon for another liquor or omit it if you prefer. Use vanilla extract with 2 tablespoons cream.
Refrigeration is important: I like to keep it in the fridge (well-wrapped) for at least 24 hours before eating it.
Freeze it for up to a month. Well wrapped in plastic and then aluminum.
