Blueberry Cheesecake
As fun as all the flavors at The Cheesecake Factory can be, a plain cheesecake with some sort of fruity situation is my favorite way to go!
I typically stick to fresh berries, but I thought I would spice things up a bit with a swirled in flavor. And since I had a jar of blueberry jam hanging around, it seemed like a given! I know these look a bit messy, but I promise they are worth licking your fingers for (;
The crust is a pretty basic graham cracker crust except I added in some cinnamon and vanilla to give it a bit more flavor.
The filling is pretty standard, save the part where we mix in some blueberry jam!
The topping was admittedly a spur of the moment addition but it was definitely a game changer in the end so I don’t recommend skipping it.
What you’ll need for the crust:
– 6 Tablespoons melted butter (3 ounces)
– 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (4 ounces)
– 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
What you’ll need for the cheesecake:
– 1 lb cream cheese, room temp (16 ounces)
– 2/3 cup sugar (133 grams)
– 2 eggs
– 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (20 grams)
– 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
– 1/4 cup milk (2 ounces)
– 1/4 cup blueberry jam
What you’ll need for the topping:
– 1/2 cup blueberries
– 2 Tablespoons sugar
– 1/2 cup blueberry jam
What you’ll do:
– Preheat your oven to 350F and line a square baking dish with parchment so that both sides are covered.
– Combine the ingredients for the crust in a small dish. Evenly sprinkle into the lined pan and use your hands to press the crumbs down so that they are compact. Bake for 15 minutes.
– While the crust is baking, prepare your filling by first beating the cream cheese on high for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the sugar. Beat for another minute.
– Add in eggs 1 at a time until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for another minute.
– Add in the cornstarch, vanilla, and milk, beating on slow until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for 1 minute.
– Pour the batter on top of the baked crust, leaving about 1/4 cup remaining in the bowl.
– Mix the remaining batter with the blueberry jam until fully combined. Dollop the blueberry batter into the cheesecake and use a knife to swirl it around.
– Make a water bath by placing your square dish in a larger baking dish (such as a 12-16 casserole dish). Add water so that it comes half way up the sides of the square dish. Carefully place in the oven on a lower rack and bake for 30 – 45 minutes or until the top is slightly browned and no longer jiggly.
– Once baked, remove the cheesecake from the water bath and allow to fully cool before cutting into.
– While your cheesecake is cooling, make your topping by adding everything to a small saucepan and bringing to a simmer. Stir constantly until the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Transfer into a glass jar and allow to cool.
– Cut your cheesecake into 16 squares, top with your blueberry compote and ENJOY!
A few notes:
– If you have a spring form pan, you can definitely use that and omit the usage of parchment.
– If you want to make things easier with the topping, you can add a bit of water to your jam to thin it out a bit so that it is a more pourable consistency and use that instead.