Brûléed Cheesecake Food

CRèME BRûLéE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Add butter and stir until dry ingredients are equally hydrated. Spray a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray, and evenly press the graham cracker crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan.
• Make Filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese on medium-high until fluffy and satiny. Add sour cream and beat to incorporate. Scrape down sides of bowl, add sugar, and beat on low until just incorporated, then beat on medium-high for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, waiting until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Once last egg is added, beat on medium-high for 2 minutes. Add flour and mix for 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl and add lemon juice and vanilla bean paste; mix for an additional minute.
• Pour Filling over Crust in prepared springform pan. Wrap bottom and sides of the outside of the pan with several layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place springform pan inside a large roasting pan, and fill the roasting pan with water so that it comes three-quarters of the way up the side of the pan. Carefully place roasting pan in oven and bake for 1 hour. Turn oven off but do not open the oven, leaving the cheesecake to sit in the cooling oven for an additional 30 minutes. Gently lift springform pan out of roasting pan and remove aluminum foil from pan. Leaving the cheesecake in the springform pan, run an offset spatula or knife around the edge of the cake, being careful not to cut the cake. Allow cheesecake to cool on the counter for 45 minutes before refrigerating for 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove cheesecake from springform pan, sprinkle 1 tablespoon granulated sugar evenly across surface of cake. Use a blowtorch to caramelize the sugar on the surface by applying direct heat to the sugar until it takes on a light brown color, moving in small circles around the surface of the cake until it's evenly caramelized. Allow to sit for 1 minute before adding another tablespoon of sugar on top of the first layer and repeat the caramelizing process. Allow to cool for 2 minutes before slicing and serving.

BRULEED VANILLA-BEAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse crackers with granulated sugar and salt until finely ground. (You should have about 1 1/2 cups.) Add butter; pulse until combined. Transfer to a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom; firmly press into bottom and up sides. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake until crust is dry and set, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Filling: Place cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla seeds, and salt in cleaned food processor; blend just until smooth. Fill crust with cheesecake mixture. Bake until filling is just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• To serve, place 2 tablespoons superfine sugar in a sieve and evenly sift over top of cheesecake (avoiding crust). Move a small kitchen blowtorch back and forth across sugar until caramelized (aiming torch toward center to avoid burning crust). Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons superfine sugar, making a second caramelized layer. Top with spun sugar and serve, slicing through spun sugar and cake with a sharp knife, and wiping blade between slices.

PUMPKIN BRULEE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position the oven racks in center and lower third of your oven. Fill a roasting pan about half full of water and place on the lower rack. This will create a moist environment for the cheesecake and help prevent cracking. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Coat a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Put the graham crackers and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor and grind until fine. Add the butter and two tablespoons of water and pulse until moistened. Press into the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Bake until set and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
• Combine the cream cheese, brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar and salt in a large bowl. Beat, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until smooth and fluffy. Add the yogurt, egg and egg whites, reduce the mixer speed to low, and continue to beat until blended. Add the pumpkin, flour, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat until just combined. Stir with a spatula a few times to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated and to release any air bubbles in the batter that could cause the cheesecake to crack.
• Pour the batter over the crust and rap the pan against the countertop a few times to bring any trapped air bubbles to the surface. Place the cheesecake on the center rack in the oven. Bake until just set and the center wiggles slightly, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Turn the oven off and crack the door open. Let sit in the oven for 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Run a thin sharp knife between the cheesecake and then pan to release the sides. Cool completely and then chill until cold, at least 4 hours, or overnight.
• Before serving, remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator and release the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the top of the cheesecake and brulee the sugar with a kitchen torch or under the broiler for a few seconds.

BRûLéED CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make brown butter: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Cook until the milk solids separate out and the butter turns deeply golden and fragrant like toasted nuts, 10 minutes. Refrigerate until solid, 15 minutes. You should have 4 ounces of brown butter. Meanwhile, pulse and grind the graham crackers to fine crumbs in a food processor. Measure out ¾ cup (81 g) of crumbs and set aside.
• Graham Cracker Crust: Add the brown butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed to soften, 30 seconds, then add the brown sugar and continue mixing on medium speed, 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Crack the egg into a small cup or bowl and add the vanilla. With the mixer running on medium speed, add the egg and vanilla to the batter and mix to combine almost all the way. Turn the mixer off; scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to bring the batter together. Mix on medium speed for 30 seconds until nearly homogeneous; turn mixer off. Add both flours, both salts, and graham cracker crumbs; mix on low speed until the dough just comes together but still looks shaggy, about 30 seconds. Do not overmix. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer; use a plastic bench scraper to transfer the dough to a work surface. Bring the dough together into a disk. Wrap disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled throughout, 1 hour or up to overnight. (Keeps for up to two days in the refrigerator.)
• Bring dough to room temperature, 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 F. Trace the circumference of a 10-inch springform pan onto parchment paper: this will be the template for rolling the dough into a circle. Spray your work surface with nonstick spray and lay the prepared parchment paper on it; the spray will keep the parchment from slipping as you work. Knead dough several times and shape into a ball. Using your hands and the rolling pin, flatten the dough into a thick disk. Dust the parchment with flour, then place the dough on it; dust the dough with flour. Using short strokes of the rolling pin, flatten the disk to be 1 inch larger than the circle, all the way around. (If the dough cracks, pinch it back together.) Place the plate of the springform pan over the circle and use a knife to trim the edges so the crust is flush with the plate. (Save extra dough for another use, such as making cookies.) Remove the plate, cover the dough with another sheet of parchment paper, flip over; then peel off and set aside the top layer of parchment. Make sure there's no residual flour on top; if there is, gently brush it off. Place the dough on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
• Crust is ready when it is golden brown and feels like a cookie. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. (Crust can be made 1 day ahead and stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator, lightly covered.)
• Cheesecake: Preheat oven to 300 F. Add cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed and blend until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add sugar and continue mixing on medium speed until aerated, 2 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the springform pan: Grease the inside with nonstick spray, then line the plate with a fitted parchment circle. Spray again. Wrap the outer sides and bottom of the pan with foil to insure there is no leakage. Set aside.Once the cream cheese mixture is fully aerated, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to bring the mixture together. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and add the vanilla.
• With the mixer on medium speed, add one egg at a time to the cream cheese mixture. When just incorporated, turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add sour cream, heavy cream, and salt; mix on low speed just to incorporate. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and pour the cheesecake mixture through, using a rubber spatula to pass it into the bowl. Pour the strained mixture into the prepared pan. Use a spatula to smooth the top; give the pan a few light taps on the countertop to remove air bubbles. Place the pan into a large roasting pan and then into the oven. Pour enough water into the roasting pan to go halfway to the level of the cheesecake filling. Bake 40-45 minutes, checking after 30 minutes. Cheesecake is done when it feels set when poked gently. Remove pan to a towel to dry the bottom. Place in the freezer for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
• Assembly: Remove springform ring from frozen cheesecake. Stack crust on top of cheesecake, then invert onto a baking sheet so the springform plate is on top. Gently remove plate and peel off the parchment paper. Brûlée Topping (optional): Distribute a thin, even layer of superfine sugar on top of the cheesecake. Move a torch across the top until the sugar bubbles and caramelizes. Allow the cheesecake to rest until the sugar hardens. (You may serve it without the brûléed top, or add a berry garnish.)

CREME BRULEE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Mix cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Add the eggs and egg yolk, and mix until thoroughly blended.
• Pour the batter into the graham cracker crust.
• Bake the pie in a 350° oven for 40 minutes or until the center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
• Just before serving, heat broiler. Mix together the brown sugar and water. Spread the sugar mixture over the top of the cheesecake. Place the cheesecake on a cookie sheet, and broil 4 to 6 inches from the heat for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until the top is bubbly.