Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Brown Butter Brown Sugar Cheesecake

Graham Cracker Crust


1 ½ cups fine graham cracker crumbs (about 12 whole crackers)

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon sugar


Cheesecake Filling


¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup sour cream

½ cup half-and-half

¼ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lime juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 large eggs


Make the crust:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter the sides only (not the bottom) of a 9-inch springform pan.

2. Put butter in a small, heavy saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Stir constantly as the butter melts and begins to sizzle. Cook about a minute longer until the butter is well browned but not at all burned. Quickly remove the pan from heat, and pour butter into a bowl to cool.

3. Put graham cracker crumbs into a medium bowl. Add melted butter and sugar and toss well to coat crumbs. Pour crumbs into prepared pan and press them firmly into the bottom, only. A flat-bottom glass or espresso tamper is helpful for packing the crumbs.

4. Bake 10-12 minutes, until fragrant and beginning to color. Set aside to cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.


While crust bakes, prepare the filling:

5. Put butter in a small, heavy saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Stir constantly as the butter melts and begins to sizzle. Cook about a minute longer until the butter is well browned but not at all burned. Quickly remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter into a bowl to cool.

6. In a large bowl using a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on low speed for 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl often with a rubber scraper. Add sugar and sour cream and continue to mix until smooth and free of lumps. Add half-and-half, salt, lemon juice and vanilla. Continue beating another minute, again scraping bowl once or twice. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition and continuing to scrape as needed. Do not exceed low speed as you mix so as not to beat air into the mixture.

7. Stir in the cooled brown butter by hand. Pour cheesecake over crust in pan.

8. Wrap the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Be careful that any seams are tightly closed so that water will not leak in from the water bath. Now place the pan into a larger pan and place the whole set-up into the oven. Before placing in the oven rack, use a teapot or measuring cup to fill the outer pan with hot water to below the foil line.

9. Bake until the cheesecake jiggles just slightly in the center when you shake it, about 80-90 minutes. Turn off oven and leave in the oven with the door open until it reaches room temperature.

10. When cool, remove pan from water and remove aluminum foil, then refrigerate in the pan for 2 hours.

11. Run a sharp knife around the rim of the cheesecake. Carefully remove the outer ring. Either place the cheesecake on its bottom onto a serving plate (the safest route), or use a large spatula or sheet pan to carefully loosen cake from pan bottom and transfer to a serving plate.

12. Serve in thin slices.


adapted from a recipe by Mary Cech

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