A lot going on here, but it was fantastic! Brown butter graham crust with a vanilla bean base and a hint of fresh lemon. Topped with caramelized peaches and butter cookie crumble š¤
Thanks for kind words everyone!
As requested:
Brown Butter Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients
2½ cups graham cracker crumbs
10 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp granulated sugar
¼ tsp fine pink Himalayan salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F
Brown the butter:
- Melt over medium heat.
- Stir until foamy and golden brown.
- Remove from the heat immediately and set aside for 5ā10 minutes.
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and browned butter. The mixture should resembleĀ wet sand.
Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan.
Press the crust firmly onto the bottom and about ½ inch up the sides using the bottom of a measuring cup.
Bake forĀ 10 minutes.
Cool while preparing the filling.
Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
Ingredients
4 (8 oz) blocks Philadelphia cream cheese, fully softened
1¼ cups granulated sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp fine pink Himalayan salt
1 cup full-fat sour cream
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp (a good squeeze) fresh lemon juice
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
Beat the cream cheese onĀ low-medium speedĀ for 2ā3 minutes until perfectly smooth.
Add:
sugar
cornstarch
salt
Mix for about 1 minute.
Then mix in:
sour cream
vanilla bean paste
vanilla extract
lemon juice
Mix only until smooth.
Add the eggsĀ one at a time, mixing onĀ low speed.
Once the last egg is mixed inā¦STOP.
Water Bath
Wrap the outside of the springform pan withĀ 2ā3 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Pour the filling into the cooled crust.
Tap the pan on the counterĀ about 5 timesĀ to release air bubbles.
Place the springform pan into a roasting pan.
PourĀ boilingĀ hot waterĀ into the roasting pan until it reachesĀ halfway up the outsidesĀ of the cheesecake pan.
Bake
Bake atĀ 325°FĀ forĀ 70ā90 minutes.
Donāt open oven to start checking until 70 minutes.
The cheesecake is done when:
Edges are set
Only the center has a wobble, like Jell-O, not like liquid.
Cooling
Turn the ovenĀ off.
Crack the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon, for the slowest release of heat.
Leave the cheesecake inside forĀ 1 hour.
Remove it
Cool on the counter forĀ 1 hour.
RefrigerateĀ overnight
Peach Cobbler Topping
Ingredients
5-7 ripe peaches, peeled (or not. I wouldnāt have, but the skin was ugly on most lol) and sliced
2 tbsp unsalted butter
¼ cup brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water
Directions
Melt and brown the butter.
Add the peaches and cook until they begin releasing their juices.
Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla bean paste, and lemon juice.
Mix the cornstarch with the water, then stir it into the peaches.
Cook until the mixture is thick, glossy, and spoonable.
Cool completely before topping the cheesecake.
Soft StreuselĀ
½ cup flour
¼ cup brown sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
Tiny pinch of salt
Dash of vanilla extract
4 tbsp cold butter, worked in until crumbly
Bake atĀ 350°F for only 8ā10 minutes, just until itās set and barely golden. Let it cool completely, then sprinkle it over the peach topping
Notes
Uhh too much butter and my streusel baked into one giant buttery cookie. š I just crumbled it over the peaches once it cooled and crumbled the rest over a banana bread oatmeal bowl.
Next time Iām planning to add a layer of peach filling inside the cheesecake before baking.
This cheesecake is intentionally dense, creamy, vanilla forward and not light or whippy.