Description
Bobby Flay’s signature cheesecake combines rich cream cheese with graham cracker crust for an indulgent dessert. Creamy textures and balanced sweetness make this classic New York-style treat a crowd-pleasing finale that satisfies you completely.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 packages (8 oz/226 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar, divided
- ½ cup (120 ml) plus 2 tbsps light muscovado sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120 ml) apple juice
- ¼ cup (60 ml) apple brandy
- 1 large vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 8 whole graham crackers
- 1 cup (240 ml) toasted walnuts, divided
- 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 Fuji apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsps light brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- 1 tbsp cold butter
- 3 tbsps apple brandy
- 5 tbsps (75 ml) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ tsp pure vanilla
Instructions
- Crust Preparation: Pulverize graham crackers, walnuts, and brown sugar in a food processor. Drizzle melted butter and press mixture evenly into a 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until golden, then cool completely.
- Sugar Infusion: Blend orange zest with granulated sugar in a food processor until fragrant and uniformly colored.
- Cheesecake Base: Cream cream cheese until smooth. Gradually incorporate orange-infused sugar, remaining granulated sugar, and muscovado sugar until light and fluffy.
- Filling Integration: Gently mix in eggs one at a time. Fold in vanilla seeds, extract, salt, and heavy cream, being careful not to overmix.
- Baking Technique: Pour filling into prepared crust. Wrap pan with aluminum foil, place in a water bath, and bake at 350°F for 55-60 minutes. Edges should be set with a slightly wobbly center.
- Cooling Process: Turn off oven, crack door open, and let cheesecake rest in warm water bath for 1 hour. Cool at room temperature for 2 hours, then refrigerate for minimum 4 hours.
- Apple Topping: Reduce apple juice, sugar, and vanilla bean by half. Add butter and sliced apples, cooking until caramelized. Splash with apple brandy and reduce further.
- Caramel Creation: Carefully cook sugar and water to amber color. Warm heavy cream separately, then slowly whisk into caramel. Add salt, apple brandy, and vanilla extract.
- Final Presentation: Garnish chilled cheesecake with warm apple mixture, drizzle generously with caramel sauce, and scatter toasted walnuts on top. Serve additional sauce on the side.
Notes
- Prevent Cracking Technique: Bake cheesecake in a water bath to maintain consistent temperature and prevent surface cracks, ensuring a smooth, creamy texture.
- Gentle Mixing Matters: Mix ingredients at low to medium speed, adding eggs one at a time to avoid incorporating excess air that can cause cheesecake to collapse or crack.
- Crust Compression Tip: Press graham cracker crust firmly and evenly into the pan to create a solid, stable base that won’t crumble when serving.
- Cooling is Crucial: Allow cheesecake to cool gradually at room temperature and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to develop optimal flavor and set proper texture.
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 80 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg