American Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 200 g Dry biscuits (speculoos and Rich Tea biscuits) (Mix the two types for more texture. Can be replaced with chocolate‑free digestive biscuits.)
• 100 g Unsalted butter (Melt before incorporating into the biscuits.)
• 30 g Granulated sugar (Add only if the biscuits are not sweet enough.)
• 400 g Philadelphia‑style cream cheese (At room temperature to facilitate mixing.)
• 200 g Thick crème fraîche (Adds creaminess.)
• 30 g Cornstarch (Maïzena) (Slightly thickens the filling.)
• 100 g Granulated sugar (To sweeten the filling.)
• 1 unit Zest of one lemon (Use a fine zester to avoid the bitter white pith.)
• 1 tablespoon Juice of half a lemon (Adds freshness.)
• 3 unit Eggs (At room temperature.)
• 1 packet Vanilla sugar or vanilla extract (To flavor the filling.)
• 300 g Frozen strawberries (Thawed before blending.)
• 50 g Sugar (for the coulis) (Adjust according to the strawberries' acidity.)
• 100 ml Water (To thin the coulis.)

Instructions

1. Prepare the biscuit base

   Coarsely crush the biscuits (speculoos + Rich Tea) using a pestle or food processor until a fine powder forms. Melt the butter, add it to the crumbs and mix until a homogeneous dough is achieved. If the biscuits are not very sweet, incorporate 30 g of sugar.

   Time: PT10M

2. Bake the base

   Line the bottom of the springform pan with aluminum foil, pour the biscuit dough, spread it evenly and press firmly with the back of a spoon. Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake the base for 10 minutes. Let cool.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 180°C

3. Prepare the cheesecake filling

   In a large bowl, loosen the cream cheese. Add the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and mix until smooth. Incorporate the thick crème fraîche, the eggs one at a time, the vanilla and the cornstarch. Whisk without forming lumps.

   Time: PT15M

4. Bake the cheesecake in a water bath

   Pour the filling over the cooled base. Place the pan in a larger dish filled halfway with hot water (water bath). Bake for 20 minutes at 180°C, then lower the temperature to 120°C and continue baking for 60 minutes. The centre should be slightly wobbly to the touch.

   Time: PT1H20M

   Temperature: 180°C then 120°C

5. Cooling and unmolding

   Turn off the oven, let the cheesecake cool inside for 30 minutes. As soon as it is out of the oven, run a thin blade around the sides of the pan to release it. Let cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

   Time: PT30M

6. Prepare the strawberry coulis

   Place the frozen strawberries, sugar and water in a microwave‑safe bowl. Heat for 4 minutes on high power, stir, then blend until a smooth coulis forms. Set aside to chill.

   Time: PT10M

7. Plating and serving

   Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator, unmold gently, place on a serving plate. Drizzle with strawberry coulis, cut into 8 slices using a hot knife, serve immediately.

   Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

6 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

22 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Dry biscuits (speculoos and Rich Tea biscuits): digestive biscuits, rusk
• Instead of Unsalted butter: margarine, melted coconut oil
• Instead of Granulated sugar: cane sugar, agave syrup (reduce the amount)
• Instead of Philadelphia‑style cream cheese: unsalted fresh cheese, ricotta (different texture)
• Instead of Thick crème fraîche: double cream, thick Greek yogurt
• Instead of Cornstarch (Maïzena): potato starch, arrowroot
• Instead of Granulated sugar: cane sugar, maple syrup (reduce the amount)
• Instead of Zest of one lemon: candied lemon zest, lemon flavoring
• Instead of Juice of half a lemon: bottled pure lemon juice
• Instead of Eggs: apple puree (for egg‑free version), silken tofu (different texture)
• Instead of Vanilla sugar or vanilla extract: vanilla bean (seeds), liquid vanilla extract
• Instead of Frozen strawberries: fresh strawberries, frozen red berries
• Instead of Sugar (for the coulis): agave syrup, honey

Equipment Needed

• Mixing bowl
• Wooden pestle or mixer (optional)
• Silicone spatula
• 20 cm springform pan
• Oven
• Water bath (baking dish + water)
• Microwave
• Mixer/blender (optional)
• Thin‑blade knife
• Cutting board
• Cooling rack (optional)
• Aluminum foil (optional)
• Oven thermometer (optional) (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Even out the biscuit base and press firmly
• Bake the base 10 minutes at 180°C
• Achieve a smooth, lump‑free filling
• Water‑bath baking (180°C 20 min then 120°C 60 min)
• Run the knife around the pan immediately after removing from the oven to prevent cracks

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use ingredients at room temperature to avoid lumps.
• Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper before the aluminum foil to ease unmolding.
• Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight, for optimal texture.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Keep covered 3‑5 days in the refrigerator.

Freezer: Wrap tightly; can freeze up to 1 month.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the base and bake it ahead of time, keep it refrigerated until the day of serving.
• The filling can be mixed the day before and kept chilled, then poured and baked on the day.
• The strawberry coulis keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator.