Sous Vide Cheesecake

December 15, 2017

Sous Vide Cheesecake

These are individual New York-style cheesecakes, each built and cooked in its own mason jar. A graham cracker crust goes in first and gets a short bake, then a cream cheese filling goes on top and the whole jar finishes in a sous vide water bath instead of an oven. No springform pan, no water bath rigged from a roasting tin, no cracked top to disguise with sour cream.

The water bath is what makes this version worth doing. Oven-baked cheesecake fails in one of two ways: too hot and the eggs curdle, weeping and cracking the surface; too gentle and the middle never fully sets. A sous vide bath removes the guesswork by holding the water at a single, exact temperature the whole time, so the custard cooks through evenly without ever coming close to curdling. Held at 176°F (80°C), the filling firms into a sliceable, creamy set with a smooth top every time.

Cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and a little sour cream make up the filling, the same base as any classic baked cheesecake - sous vide changes the cooking method, not the recipe. The result is dense and tangy from the cream cheese, sweetened just enough to balance it, with the optional lemon zest and juice sharpening that edge. The crust is ordinary graham cracker crumbs bound with melted butter, baked briefly right in the jar before the filling goes in, so it stays a real base layer rather than a crumbled topping added after the fact.

Because each jar is its own portion, there’s no slicing, no wedge that falls apart, and no plate to wash beyond a spoon - handy for a dinner party or a potluck, where the jars can be made a day ahead, carried, and served straight from the fridge. Serve them straight from the jar or unmold onto a small plate, with fresh berries, a fruit compote, or nothing at all.

Ingredients

Makes 4-6 jars

The crust

55 g graham cracker crumbs (about 5 sheets, crushed fine)
40 g unsalted butter, melted

The filling

340 g full-fat block cream cheese, at room temperature
100 g granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
60 g sour cream (or heavy cream)
1 tsp vanilla extract, pure
1 tsp fresh lemon juice, optional
½ lemon, zest of, optional
1 pinch table salt

Directions

The crust

Preheat a conventional oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly butter or oil four to six mason jars. Mix the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter until the texture resembles wet sand, then divide the mixture evenly among the jars and press it firmly into a flat, even layer on the bottom of each.

Bake the crusts for 8 minutes, then set the jars on a rack to cool completely while you make the filling.

The filling

Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and salt together on medium-low speed until completely smooth, with no lumps, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the sour cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and mix until just combined.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition - the batter looks clumpy at first, then smooths out. Finish by hand, stirring and scraping the bottom of the bowl so the batter is silky and fully smooth before it goes into the jars.

To assemble

Set the sous vide water bath to 176°F (80°C). Divide the filling evenly over the cooled crusts and tap each jar on the counter to knock out air bubbles. Screw the lids on finger-tight: sealed enough to keep water out, loose enough to vent air and to reopen by hand. Do not overtighten, or the glass can crack in the bath.

Temper the jars by running them briefly under hot tap water, then lower them into the water bath with tongs, ideally onto a rack that keeps them off the bottom of the container. Cook for 90 minutes for a fully set, traditional cheesecake texture, or 60 minutes for a looser, custard-like set.

Lift the jars out and let them cool to room temperature, about an hour, then tighten the lid rings and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, before serving. Serve chilled, straight from the jar or unmolded, with fresh fruit or a compote if you like.

Notes

The 60-minute and 90-minute cook times give two different textures at the same temperature: 60 minutes sets a looser, custard-like cheesecake, while 90 minutes gives the firmer, denser set of a traditional baked cheesecake.
Sour cream and heavy cream are interchangeable here. Crème fraîche or buttermilk also work, each shifting the tang and richness slightly.
For a crustless version, skip the crust steps and pour the filling directly into ungreased jars.
Larger or smaller jars can share the same water bath and temperature - only the time changes, shorter for smaller jars, longer for larger ones or ones with a crust already baked in.
Cheesecakes keep, refrigerated and lidded, for up to a week.