Cheesecake is such a classic dessert. Whether you top it with a fresh berry compote, chocolate drizzle or homemade whipped cream, a slice of cheesecake is perfection. You can serve cheesecake for any special occasion and dress up your cheesecake as you like.

Rich cream cheese, along with a few other ingredients nestled in a nicely baked graham cracker crust, NY-Style cheesecake is a showstopper of any dessert table.

One of my secrets for an evenly baked cheesecake is a water bath.

Cheesecake

Crust

1¼ cups of graham crackers, finely ground

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons of granulated sugar

A pinch of salt

Mix all of these ingredients together. Press down evenly into a parchment-lined 9-inch springform pan. Bake your crust at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 12 minutes or just until the crust has a bit of color, not too much.

Set the crust aside to cool.

When the crust is cool, line the bottom and around the sides of the springform pan with heavy duty aluminum foil. This way water from the water bath you will create for your cheesecake will not seep into your cheesecake when baking. Once the foil is in place, set the springform pan aside again.

Cheesecake Batter

4 8-ounce blocks of cream cheese, room temperature

½ heavy whipping cream

1¼ cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

On medium speed with the paddle attachment on your stand-up mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Continue to mix the cream cheese and gradually add the sugar, stopping the mixer to scrape the sides as necessary. Add in two eggs, one at a time and mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the last two eggs and incorporate. Next, the pure vanilla extract goes into the batter. Combine. Pour in the heavy cream. Mix a moment or two just to incorporate. Sift in the cornstarch and mix again. You are continually mixing the cheesecake batter, as you add each ingredient, stopping to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as necessary. Have all of your ingredients ready, so that the mixing goes smoothly and rather quickly.

Pour the cheesecake into the crust.

In a large roasting tray, create a water bath by filling the roaster 1/3 of the way with hot water. Place the roaster pan into the middle rack of your oven. Gently place your cheesecake into the center of the roasting pan. Bake your cheesecake for 1½ hours to 1¾ hours. The cheesecake should jiggle just slightly in the center when it’s done.

When the cheesecake is set and still in the oven in the roasting pan, turn your oven off and leave the oven door slightly open. Allow the cheesecake to set up more in your cooling oven for about 45 minutes.

Remove the roasting pan and cheesecake out of the oven carefully. Remove your cheesecake from the water bath and set on a cooling rack for a little while longer, approximately one hour.

Cover your cheesecake, still in the springform pan, with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to garnish or serve. Enjoy.