There is nothing better than having a delicious bite of cheesecake with a crunchy caramelized topping. This Creme Brulee Cheesecake is the sexiest and most elegant cheesecake you will ever taste.
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Can you believe my little brother doesn’t like cheesecake? I mean he has never even tried cheesecake on the strength that “cheese” should not be cake! It is the most annoying thing in the world to hear him talk about his dislike for the cheesecake because if he knew what I knew and what all of you are thinking right now, he would know that there is nothing better than a delicious, silky, and sultry slice of cheesecake.
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So I knew I had to make this Creme Brulee Cheesecake again and share it with all of you.
How to make Creme Brulee Cheesecake
I will say, to my knowledge, there are no shortcuts to torching the top of the cake. You will need a culinary torch. They really aren’t that expensive. You can buy this culinary torch, which is fairly inexpensive. The great thing about torching the sugar, aside from the crunchy topping, is the caramelization of the sugar and its flavor. It takes on a whole new meaning. Serving this cheesecake alongside some fresh fruit and maybe a slight topping of whipped cream is the most perfect answer to a perfect meal.
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As far as making this cheesecake recipe, it’s quite simple. You will need about 4 bricks of cream cheese, quite a few eggs, a nice amount of vanilla extract, and some graham crackers for the crust. Once you have mixed the ingredients to make the cheesecake, back it in a steam water bath so it doesn’t crack the surface and keep the top nice and light. You can totally make the cheesecake as is and skip the Brulee part if you would like. I highly recommend making the Creme Brulee Cheesecake as is. Trust me, it takes the cheesecake to another level
Recipe partially adapted from Once Upon a Chef
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Creme Brulee Cheesecake
- Total Time: 6 hours 5 mins
- Yield: 8-10 1x
Description
Take New York Style Cheesecake to a new level by making this Creme Brulee Cheesecake and top with fresh berries. This is an elegant dessert for a crowd!
Ingredients
- For Crust:
- 1 ½ c. graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ c. pecan pieces
- 2 tbsp. Sugar
- 5 tbsp. Butter, melted
- ⅛ tsp. Salt
- For Cheesecake:
- 32 oz. Cream Cheese (4– 8 oz. blocks of cream cheese), room temperature
- 1 tbsp. Vanilla extract
- 2 c. sugar
- 1 ½ tbsp. Superfine sugar, divided
- 3 tbsp. Flour
- ½ c. sour cream
- 6 eggs
- 2 tsp. Lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 Degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray. Set aside.
- Pulse the graham crackers and pecan pieces in a food processor for 5 minutes. Add melted butter, sugar, and salt until becomes coarse crumbs. Pour into springform pan and press into the bottom of the pan evenly with the bottom of a measuring cup. Place in the middle rack in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
- Once the pan has cooled, wrap the pan with aluminum foil on the outside. Place in a shallow roasting pan and fill about ⅔ rds with boiling water.
- In a large bowl of a standing mixer, add the cream cheese and blend with mixer until creamy. Add the sugar a cup at a time. Use a rubber spatula and scrape sides and blend once more. Add the vanilla extract, flour, lemon juice, and sour cream. Add eggs one at a time until mixture is creamy and smooth. Pour the cream cheese mixture in the springform pan and place in the oven to bake for 1hour 30 minutes to reduce the temperature to 325 degrees.
- The cake will appear wobbly and if you insert a toothpick it will come out clean. If it comes out with batter then bake a little longer. Once finished, sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and then place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Once the cake has cooled, sprinkle the topping with 1 ½ tablespoon superfine sugar evenly. Turn on the culinary torch and begin to torch the sugar allowing it to carmelize. You want to torch the sugar until the sugar dissolves and transforms into a golden brown color. This should take 10 minutes. Serve with fresh berries.
- Prep Time: 4 hours 30 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 35 mins
- Category: Dessert
I only thought I loved cheesecake until I saw this recipe. I love how simple yet creative it is. The creme brulee is a nice touch.
Two of my favourite things in one- cheesecake and creme brulee! It looks divine, the texture of this cheesecake looks heavenly and I would love to have a big slice right now with my cuppa!
Thanks Anna!
I love both cheesecake and creme brulee SO much, this is what heaven will be waiting me with! Love this recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Paula.
I have a torch and I am breaking it out for my next cheesecake bake! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Analida!
This creme brulee cheesecake is cake perfection with the pecan pieces right in the crust, yum.
Thank you Sharon!
Well, I can believe your little brother doesn’t like cheesecake. My daughter who loves and appreciates all foods, especially desserts, does not care for cheesecake. Go figure!! We just bought a little torch for recipes just like this. Can’t wait to make the recipe!! The topping looks fantatstic.
Thank you Marisa!
OMG! I love creme brûlée and cheesecake but never thought of uniting the two – brilliant!! I’ll be trying this next week!!
Aline recently posted…Honey BBQ Chicken Wings
Thank you Aline.
Oh wow that topping just takes the entire thing to a whole new level of yum!! So good, can never say no to a caramelized top!
Thank you DOnna!
Oh I’m loving the creative spin you put on this recipe! Everyone loves that crackle crunch of the sugar crust! My family will love this!
Thank you Lori!
That is one stunning cheesecake! My mouth is watering over here. I’m definitely going to have to invest in a culinary torch ASAP!
I don’t often make or indulge in cheesecake, so when I do, it needs to be a good one. And this one looks like a great one! Love that crunchy caramelized topping! Such a nice touch!
This cheesecake is absolutely GORGEOUS! And so delicious! A real show stopper.
Eden | Sweet Tea and Thyme recently posted…50 Labor Day Recipes for the Best Cookout
Thanks Eden!
Is there something you would recommend to substitute for pecans in the crust? I have multiple people in my family that are allergic to nuts.
You can just leave them out.