Burnt Cream Cheesecake

This dreamy cheesecake recipe combines two of my favourite desserts (Crème Brûlé and Cheesecake) for a beautiful result you can make all year long.

Crust:
1¼ cup graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
½ tsp. kosher salt
4 Tbsp. butter, melted

Filling:
4 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
¼ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
1½ Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 tsp. vanilla bean paste

Brûlée:
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Make Crust:  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" spring form 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 spring form pan. Wrap bottom and sides of the outside of the pan with several layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place spring form 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 spring form pan out of roasting pan and remove aluminum foil from pan. Leaving the cheesecake in the spring form 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 spring form pan, sprinkle 1 Tbsp. 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 colour, moving in small circles around the surface of the cake until it’s evenly caramelized. Allow to sit for 1 minute before adding another Tbsp. of sugar on top of the first layer and repeat the caramelizing process. Allow to cool for 2 minutes before slicing and serving.

Cook's Notes:  If you can’t find vanilla bean paste, simply use the seeds of 1 vanilla bean. You can use 2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract if you don’t have access to vanilla beans, but the seeds from the beans are preferable in this dessert.