6 inch Blueberry Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients 

Crust

1 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 tbsp granulated sugar

A small amount of melted and cooled, or very soft butter for brushing. 

Blueberry Sauce

1 cup fresh blueberries (frozen can be used)

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

Filling

250g (1 box) full fat cream cheese softened to room temperature

3 tbsp granulated sugar

The rest of the lemon zest from the lemon used in the blueberry sauce

4 tbsp full fat sour cream

1tsp lemon juice

1 large egg at room temperature

Method

Adjust your oven rack to the lower middle position, and preheat to 350°F.

1. Make the graham cracker crust

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 6 inch springform pan, and just up the sides where the seam is, not much higher. This is a thicker crust as my springform pan base has an edge, so I need it thick enough to get it out when the cheesecake is done. If yours doesn’t have that, use a bit less. Bake the crust for about 10 minutes until it is a toasty brown. I go a little longer so it almost caramelizes. Set aside to cool completely. 

2. Prepare the Blueberry Sauce

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil while stirring, reduce to a simmer until the sauce has thickened and you can see the bottom of the ban when you draw a stripe in the bottom of the pan with a spoon and it doesn’t immediately fill back in. Set aside to cool completely. To speed up the cooling process chill a bowl while you are cooking the mixture, then pour the final mixture into the called bowl, that will cool the mixture faster. 

3. Make the filling

Note: I do this by hand as the volumes are small, if you prefer you can use a hand mixer but I don’t recommend a stand mixer unless you have a small one. Place the cream cheese in the bowl and with a sturdy spatula begin to work it until it is almost spreadable. Add in the lemon zest, juice, sour cream and sugar and combined until smooth. Add in the egg and mix until fully incorporated. 

4. Assemble and bake

Tightly wrap the outside and bottom of your springform pan with aluminum foil, I use two pieces. Make sure there are no seams as you will place this in a water bath. 

With a pastry brush, brush the sides of the pan with the melted/cooled/softened butter. This will help the filling not stick and release more cleanly. For the filling into the pan. Dollop the blueberry sauce on top of the filling, gently. I placed 6 dollops in a circle on the outside edge, and three in the middle. Using a wooden skewer, gently pull the blueberry filling from one edge of a dollop to the next dollop to create a trail. The outside circle I went clockwise, the inside I went counter-clockwise. 

Place the wrapped springform pan into a regular 9 inch pie plate (at least that’s what I used) and place it on the oven rack. Using a measuring cup with a pour spout, pour hot water (I use tap water as mine is pretty hot) into the pie plate until it comes up to about halfway up the side of the spring form pan. 

Bake for 40-45 minutes until the centre of the cheesecake is almost set when you gently nudge it. When you have reached this point, turn off the oven and let it sit with no head for about 30 minutes. 

Remove from the oven, and the pie plate and place on a cooling rack until cool enough to handle. You should begin to see the cheesecake pulling away from the pan a bit. Place in the refrigerator for at least two hours to chill. 

Loosen the cheesecake from the sides using a paring knife to run along the edge. Remove the rim of the springform pan. Using a small offset spatula, run it under the graham cracker crust and place on a serving plate, or leave the bottom on and serve it that way.