Dense, creamy, and lusciously rich New York-Style Cheesecake crowned with a sweet blackberry topping!
Of all the cakes out there, cheesecake has to be the most decadent. ESPECIALLY New York-Style Cheesecake.
While I’ve definitely made my fair share of cheesecakes over the past few years of food blogging, I’ve never made a true New York Cheesecake. Although I’m queen of all things sweet, sugary, and unhealthy, even I have to admit that I feel a little bit of guilt when it comes to incorporating TWO POUNDS of cream cheese into ONE cheesecake. But hey, if you’re gonna make an authentic New York Cheesecake, ya can’t skimp on the cream cheese, nor can you lighten it up with yogurt. It’s all about FULL FAT, baby!
So seeing as I had a big gathering coming up with family and friends, I felt that this would be the perfect opportunity to make something super rich and unhealthy (aren’t all of my recipes??) with the hopes that most of it would be eaten. Less leftover cheesecake means less killing myself at the gym because I “accidentally” inhaled an entire New York Cheesecake.
As I mentioned earlier, this cheesecake has a whopping TWO pounds of cream cheese. It’s really what gives the cheesecake its dense richness, smooth tanginess, and firm texture. It ain’t your light and airy no-bake cheesecake, that’s for sure.
Thankfully the ingredients are pretty basic. It begins by whipping together some cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, salt, and cornstarch. The cornstarch helps to firm up the filling and is supposed to prevent cracking…we’ll get to that topic later on. Once those ingredients have incorporated, the eggs are added, mixing just until combined. Once the eggs are added, you want to avoid over-mixing since it’ll produce more air in your cheesecake, causing it to rise too much, thus forming cracks.
As for the crust, it’s just your standard graham cracker crumb crust. I did add a little bit of cinnamon to enhance the flavor and depth. While the crust may not be the star of the show, that doesn’t mean it needs to be flavorless. The cinnamon definitely added that extra oomph that most boring graham cracker crusts lack.
Now let’s talk about cracks…
From whispering sweet nothings to ancient burial rain dances in front of the oven, I have yet to discover the magical secret to baking up the perfect crack-less cheesecake. I feel like I’ve tried every one of those “tips” and “tricks” out there, yet my cheesecake still falls victim to the infamous crack. So this time, I just said “Eff it!” We ain’t messin’ with no annoying water bath, nor are we gonna be cracking no oven doors open. We’re going to simplify the baking process a little by starting the baking at a much higher temp (500ºF) for 10 minutes, then dropping it down low (200ºF) for the rest of the baking time. Yes, my cheesecake did crack, but WHO FLIPPIN’ CARES??? Besides, that’s what blackberries are for.
Not only did the blackberries disguise the crack rather well, but they added a nice touch of elegance to a once plain-looking cheesecake.
And we ain’t done there, folks. A New York-Style Cheesecake might be rich and decadent on its own, but it hasn’t truly met its full potential until its been topped with something sweet and in this case, fruity. Strawberry sauce might be the more traditional topping, but when it comes to berries, blackberries have my heart. And just look at how massive these guys are. They were absolutely begging to be transformed into a mouthwateringly delicious topping.
The dense, yet creamy texture of the cheesecake with the smooth, sweet, and slightly tart blackberry topping is probably one of the most euphoric experiences your tastebuds will ever have. The added cinnamon in the crust just enhances the flavors of the rich filling and the sweet blackberries.
This is definitely one of those moments when you forget that calories even exist…
New York Style Cheesecake with Blackberry Topping
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Filling:
- 32 ounces cream cheese
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
Topping:
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 3 cups blackberries fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- Blackberries for decorating
Instructions
Make the Crust:
- In a large mixing bowl, use a fork to toss the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon together. Add the melted butter, mixing until all crumbs are moistened. Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate while you work on the filling.
Make the Filling:
- Preheat the oven to 500ºF. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on high until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the sugar and continue beating for another 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the cornstarch, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt, and beat until incorporated, 1-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, two at a time, until combined. Try not to overmix.
- Pour filling into the crust, smoothing out the top. Bake cheesecake for 10 minutes. Then without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 200ºF, and continue to bake for 80-85 minutes, or until center appears nearly set when shaken.
- Transfer the cheesecake to a wire rack and run a knife around the edges. Allow to cool for at least 2 hours before covering cheesecake and chilling in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
Make the Topping:
- In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons of water. In a saucepan, heat 2 cups of the berries, both sugars, the water, lemon juice, and salt over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. Allow to boil and stir constantly for 3-4 minutes, or until juices have released and berries begin to break up. Add the remaining cup of berries, along with the cornstarch-water mixture and continue stirring over low heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat immediately and pour into a bowl to cool.*
- To serve, remove sides of the springform pan and slice with a sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between slices. Serve with blackberry topping.
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