Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
Two of the best desserts known to man, combined in one. It’s a thick, custard-y, vanilla-y cheesecake with a gingersnap crust and a crunchy, not-quite-burnt caramel shell on top, just like Crème Brûlée. This is the best cheesecake I’ve ever made.
So the other day I saw my 8-year-old nephew Landon, and we exchanged an epic high five. It hurt WAY more than a high five with an 8-year-old should, and I was feeling like a total wuss. But then I looked down and saw that my palm was BLEEDING.
Who high-fives while holding an EXTREMELY SHARP number 2 pencil?? Watch out for those nephews, guys. They have no mercy.
I have been double checking every high five since that day. No sharp pencil? Okay, we’re good, let’s high five.
Are you guys ready? For 2 desserts in one? After I made this cheesecake for the second time, I asked my cousin Lani to come over and try it. She is my official taste-tester because she is not afraid to tell me if a recipe sucks. (True friends are hard to come by. You’re the best Lani. Thanks for eating my food. I know it’s a rough job.)
She took one bite and said, Karen, I think this is the best thing you have ever made.
Yep, count ’em, 10 yolks. It’s what makes this cheesecake so custard-y.
Then we got really excited with the torch and tried to caramelize the outer edges of the cheesecake. It sorta worked.
(If you want to try this, the best method is to wet your hands and moisten the side of the cheesecake, then use your other hand or a spoon to press sugar onto the wet part. Then torch. But probably none of you are as desperate for caramelized sugar as we are.)
After our fire-fun, Lani went home, but I got this text from her several hours later, “All I can think about is that cheesecake! Best dessert I think I have ever had.” I think she liked it.
The idea for this cheesecake has been floating around in my head for a few years now. The first hurdle was getting a kitchen torch, because this recipe is impossible to make without it. Someone gave me a torch for Christmas last year, but I had no fuel (If you don’t have a kitchen torch, here’s a affiliate link to one with great reviews). Finally got some butane at Home Depot a few weeks ago, and I’m kicking myself that I didn’t do this sooner, because oh. my. gosh. This cheesecake. Guys.
The photos don’t do it justice. We need audio. If you could hear the crack of that caramelized topping when you tap your fork into it. Oh man. I’m telling you.
You can tell from the photo above that it’s a little softer than a regular cheesecake. It still holds it’s shape and everything, just as a cheesecake should, but it’s meant to be a little more soft and custard-y, like crème brûlée.
If you are stumped for what to get your special someone for Valentine’s Day this year, I say just make them this. No one is going to argue with this cheesecake. Skip dinner and eat the whole thing. I can’t think of anything more romantic.
If you make this cheesecake, snap a photo and share on Instagram using #TheFoodCharlatan. I would be so happy to see it!!
(If you don’t have a kitchen torch, here’s an affiliate link to one with great reviews on Amazon.)
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Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 & 3/4 cups gingersnaps, about 35*
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons butter
For the cheesecake:
- 3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 & 1/3 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, **
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 & 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 10 large egg yolks
- 2-3 tablespoons superfine sugar, **** for torching
- raspberries, to garnish
Instructions
For the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan. Tear off an 18-inch square of heavy duty aluminum foil. (Reynolds is best) Set the pan in the center of the square and carefully wrap the foil up over the edges of the pan, crimping at the top so that it is secure. Repeat with a second sheet of foil. Be very gentle so it doesn't tear. Repeat again with a 3rd sheet of foil.**
- Use a food processor to pulse the gingersnaps into fine crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 5 tablespoons melted butter and combine.
- Press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan. Use the bottom of a glass to press it into an even layer. Don't do a side crust. (I'm usually very pro-side-crust, but it's hard to keep it from burning when you are torching the sugar later.)
- Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Be careful not to tear the foil.
- Remove from the oven and let cool while you make the filling.
For the cheesecake:
- Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese for 4 minutes, making sure to scrape the sides.
- Add 1 and 1/3 cup sugar, vanilla bean paste, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and beat for another 4 minutes, scraping sides.
- Meanwhile, add the cream to a small pot on the stove. Heat over medium low heat until it is warm. You don't want it to bowl.
- While that is heating up, crack 10 egg yolks into a mixing bowl. (Save the egg whites for something else!)
- Beat the egg yolks for about 2 minutes, until they are pale.
- Pour the heated cream through a fine mesh strainer into a large pourable glass measuring cup (or anything that pours).
- While the beaters in the egg yolks are on, slowly add the warm cream. If you are not mixing while you do this, the eggs will curdle. Enlist help if you can. Don't try to take a photo during this step. I'm just watching out for you.
- Once all of the hot cream has been incorporated with the egg yolks, it's time to slowly pour that into the cream cheese mixture. I find this is easiest to do from a pourable measuring cup, but if you are dexterous enough to do it from the mixing bowl then go for it.
- Beat the cream cheese and slowly pour in the egg-cream mixture. Make sure you scrape the sides and get out all the lumps. The batter will be pretty thin.
- Transfer the foil-wrapped crust into a large high-sided skillet, or a roasting pan.
- Pour the batter into the gingersnap crust, forming an even layer on top.
- Fill the skillet or roasting pan with HOT water from the tap. You want the water to go at least halfway up the pan of the cheesecake.
- Carefully transfer the water bath to the oven.
- Bake at 325 for about 1 hour and 35 minutes. You will know it is done when it is mostly set in the center and doesn't jiggle too much when you shake it. (some movement is ok--it will continue to set as it cools. It just shouldn't be liquidy.) If the cheesecake starts to brown, turn off the oven.
- At this point you can either crack the door of the oven and let the cheesecake come to room temperature inside the oven. I removed the cheesecake but left it in the water bath for a couple hours so that there wasn't a drastic change in temperature.
- When the cheesecake is mostly cool, remove from the water bath, and remove the foil. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight.
- When you are ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and carefully loosen the sides of the pan. I didn't use a knife, just release the spring very slowly.
- Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons superfine sugar all over the top of the cheesecake. (Or just the portion you plan to eat. Once the crunchy topping is refrigerated, it doesn't stay hard)
- Use the torch to caramelize the sugar. See photos. This can take several minuets if you are doing the whole cheesecake. Keep the torch moving at all times. The sugar is caramelized when it just starts to bubble and smoke.
- Let sit for a minute for the sugar to harden.
- Garnish with fresh raspberries.
Notes
Nutrition
Here are some of my other favorite cheesecakes!
No Bake Cheesecake Parfait Bar: <<this is great for parties! Self-serve. Love this stuff.
No Bake Dulce de Leche Cheesecake with Caramelized Peaches: this one’s for you guys in Australia. I can only dream of fresh peaches right now.
More recipes from bloggers I love!
Crème Brûlée from The Pioneer Woman << the classic.
Perfect Cheesecake from Simply Recipes << this recipe is originally from Dorie Greenspan
(I sort of combined the two recipes above to create my Crème Brûlée Cheesecake)
Crème Brûlée Cheesecake Bars from Cooking Classy << I want to try them as bars next!
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Hi. If I make this first thing in the morning on Thanksgiving – will it be ready by dinner time? (around 5pm?). I won’t have time to make it the day before and I’m afraid Tuesday would be too early.
Hi Ellyn! I do “how early do I have to start making this?” math in my head all the time, so relatable! You can definitely have this ready in time for Thanksgiving dinner at 5:00 PM if you start first thing. If you include prep time, baking time, cooling time, and chilling time, you’re looking at about 8 hours, so I wouldn’t start any later than 9AM if you want it to be ready for dessert in the evening. Best of luck and happy Thanksgiving!
Hi, I just made the cake and it did not go well. 😅The top was brown and the bottom soggy. Can that have something to do with the oven setting. Convection or conventional? I couldn’t find any notes on the setting in the recipe. Thanks, Camilla.
Hi Camilla, I bake this cheesecake on the regular setting on my oven, not convection. The bottom was soggy because there was a tear in your aluminum foil, sadly! The top was browned because I think you probably left it in too long. In the instructions it says to turn off the oven immediately if you see any browning, and really the oven should be turned off before any browning happens on top. I’m so sorry if didn’t work out!
Yum!! I used golden Oreos instead of ginger snaps and it was soo good. Instead of foil I put the spring form pan inside and 10” cake pan and the in a roasting pan filled with water to keep it water proof. It took longer to cook but turned out amazing
Mom life got distracted and my top got browned (also learning a new to me oven) :-(
I’m now cooling it overnight – any tips for a nicer presentation?
You know Marysia you are in luck. Just top it with sugar like usual and torch and no one will be the wiser! I would brulee the whole top so that no one can see the browned top. We are lucky that slightly overbaked cheesecake and caramelized sugar are the same color, haha! Enjoy!
Hi Karen, after a rough couple of years (I won’t go into) I’m ready to try this. I scrolled through the comments and didn’t see this addressed: (1) Does the cake need to be fully thawed before torching? I’m afraid of melting the top in the process of torching! (2) Does the topping crack nicely when slicing? IOW, I’m afraid of wide cracks ruining the beauty of the slices. I’m serving it at a work party and want it to be perfect! I’m considering the ramekin idea (so avoid lots of hands touching the serving utensils), but I think that will ruin the beauty too!
(PS – What happened to your FB page?)
Hi Catherine! Sorry to hear about hard times! So glad you are ready for the cheesecake though :) 1) The cake should be thoroughly chilled before torching, as described in the recipe. It should not be frozen or thawed. 2) hopefully you can see from the photos that you can definitely slice it nicely. The edges are cracked and jagged but I think it looks awesome! Good luck, let me know how it goes!
P.S. Here is my Facebook page!
This is a FANTASTIC recipe! Smooth and creamy with a crunchy sugar topping. Sinfully decadent and impressive as heck! Simple to assemble and bake…the hardest part is waiting for it to be cool enough to finish the last details. This made a birthday celebration a huge hit with many,any requests for this to be THE birthday cake for others in the future. Thanks for this lovely recipe. It has become an instant star in my recipe collection.
This cheesecake turned out so beautiful & was so delicious!!! I made it for my daughter’s 32nd birthday because she loves creme brulee. Thank you for the recipe! I enjoyed making it & everyone enjoyed eating it – even the grandchildren. In fact my four year old granddaughter said “this is the greatest cake in the world.”
Question. Is this cheesecake the lighter ones, dare I say fluffy-ish or is this the dense, heavier type? I’m not that big of a cheesecake fan only because they’re too rich for me. My daughter likes the lighter type but we all love creme brulee. I could just make the custard cups but something about the description of a custardy cheesecake and all the awesome reviews peaked my interest, and the yummy looking picture.
Hi Cheryl! This tastes like a traditional baked cheesecake but a lot creamier and softer, I would say. It is not exactly light, no, but I don’t think of creme brulee as being light either because it’s literally made with heavy cream, haha. I’m not sure if this is helpful but I hope you get to try it out soon!
Can we use labneh instead of cream cheese ?
Hi Elif! I haven’t tried this with labneh! Let me know how it goes!
I have tried to print the creme brulee cheese cake nut have not been able to. I have subscribed just now and would like to copy it for my baking file if possible ad it is esdier for me
HELP.
THANKS MADy
Hi Mady! There is a gold print button right under the picture on the recipe card. Press that and a print page will come up! Enjoy!
I’ve made this cheesecake several times and absolutely love it! Just wondering how it’ll freeze!
Hi Brittany! Cheesecakes freeze beautifully. Thaw in the fridge and then brulee before serving. Enjoy!
Question.. I have a smaller cheesecake pan.. I believe 6″.. any idea on how to reduce?
I haven’t tried that Danielle! I’m not sure. Let me know what you try out!
I’ve reduced several cheesecake recipes. A 9″ pan recipe halves beautifully into a 6″ pan. (I did the math!)
OMG!!! I think this is the best cheesecake I’ve ever made!! I put my cheesecake pan inside of a 10” round cake pan and then put it in a water bath. I’ve tried heavy duty foil and crockpot inserts and I ended up with a mushy crust every time. The cake pan works amazingly!! I only caramelized the piece I was going to eat. How long do you think the caramelized sugar will stay hard before putting it back in the fridge?
Hi Jenny! Okay I’m loving this cake pan idea. Totally trying it out. Much easier than foil! That’s a good question about the hardened sugar. I think it will stay hard at least an hour. Much longer than that and your cheesecake is going to lose it’s chill anyway, so I would shoot for torching no more than an hour before serving. Thanks so much for reviewing!
I was seraching for a cake receipe to combine my wife’s favourite cake (cheesecake) with her favourite dessert (Crème brûlée). I used digestive biscuits as the base. It was a great success! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Your wife has good taste Danny! Great idea using digestive biscuits. It sounds good! Thanks so much for taking the time to review!
This is the best cheesecake I’ve ever made or tasted. I have no words. And now that the word is out I can’t show up to any event without it. Just THE BEST DESSERT EVER.
Ha, I’m sorry M, you’re going to have to make this cheesecake for the rest of your life!! Sorrynotsorry ;) So glad you are enjoying it and have a reputation now! Thanks for reviewing.
Amazing Cheesecake. Just from the photos I had hoped to recreate the creme brulee cheesecake I had at a wedding. Thanks to your recipe, I was able to taste that wonderful cheesecake again. Thank you cannot express my gratitude enough!
Another trick for preventing eggs from curdling is to add half the recipe’s sugar to the yolks and letting sit for 2 minutes before adding hot heavy cream.
I’m so happy you liked the cheesecake Julia, and that it lived up to expectations! I’ve never heard the sugar in the eggs trick before, I totally need to try that out. Sometimes tempering eggs can be a little nerve wracking! Thank you so much for coming back to comment and review!
Yes, I have to say it was the best cheese cake I’ve made. It was a big hit. Love it 😍
My daughter has requested this on her birthday for the past 4 years and this year will be no different! It is absolutely the most scrumptious cheesecake or dessert period you could put in your mouth!
My husband tried this at my in laws house and absolutely loved it! He normally is not a fan of cheesecake so I was shocked. He asked me to make it for him for our anniversary, so I decided to make this myself. I’m not as good a baker as my sister in law but I can get by. He just tried the one I made.. 2 thumbs up! I just had regular foil around so a tiny bit of water got through my 6 sheets of foil :(. Definitely use the heavy duty foil if you have it. I’ve also seen people use slow cooker liners in addition to foil. Overall, great recipe!
And bonus.. I got a new torch out of the deal so now I can make creme brûlée at home!
This is awesome Sheria! I’m so glad the recipe was a win! And hey, getting a new torch sounds like a pretty good deal to me too. Creme Brulee forever! Thanks so much for the note!
I do believe this is the best cheesecake I’ve ever had.
Hooray!! So happy to hear that McKenzie! It’s my favorite too! Thanks for reviewing :)
This looks amazing and I will be making tomorrow for my mom’s birthday on Friday! I have a couple of questions I hope you can answer before then.
1. Can I use vanilla extract?
I have AMAZING vanilla extract from the Dominican Republic that smells fantastic, nothing like what you buy in the store.
2. I don’t have a kitchen torch but my husband has a torch he uses for work, can I use that?
I am so excited to make this! Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Hannelore! Yes vanilla extract will be fine! And yes a real torch will also work. Just be careful! Enjoy the cheesecake!
Have you ever frozen this cheesecake to use at another time, if so was the texture the same?
Hi Larissa! I haven’t tried it, but cheesecake in general freezes very well! Let it defrost in the fridge for a couple days, use a paper towel to absorb any moisture on the top, then brulee as usual. Enjoy!
Thank you 😉
This recipe combined all of my favorite desserts: cheesecake, crème brûlée, ginger snap cookies and raspberries. It is the most amazing cheesecake I’ve ever had! The flavors all just work perfectly together. We did your foil method and didn’t have any issues however after reading some reviews I saw Katie Olesen’s idea to use an oven bag: https://wheatbythewayside.com/prevent-water-bath-leaks and I thought it was brilliant!
Hi Shannon, I’m so glad you loved the recipe so much! That is awesome. I will have to check out the oven bag idea!! Thank you!
This is by far the best cheese cake I’ve ever made. Everyone I’ve shared it with agreed. Excellent!!
That is awesome Arlene! So happy to hear it was a hit!
Hi!
This may be super obvious for people who bake all the time….. and I probably should have known because I’ve made regular creme brûlée before. But telling people at the beginning of the recipe that the cake should be refrigerated for a minimum of 3 hours would’ve been a good thing to do. I tried to make my dad this cake last night for his birthday (which was yesterday) and I couldn’t serve it at all, therefore we had no cake.
PLEASE consider putting that at the beginning of the recipe, or at the very LEAST put an estimated length of time that it will take to make the cake from beginning to end.
The pictures were great, the directions were alright. But you had no estimated time for prep, making the actual cake, OR that it needed to be refrigerated.
Thank you.
Hi Michaela! I’m so sorry you didn’t have a cake for your dad’s birthday! First rule of baking: read the recipe ALL the way through before starting!
Have you tried to make this in the instant pot?
Hi Kristen! No I have not! If you try it, let us know how it went!
I am not the Baker of the family, my sister has been doing such and amazing job at that our whole lives, I don’t need to bother usually. This Christmas she was under the weather so I attempted this one myself.
I must say the biggest challenge was finding the vanilla bean paste in stores. It is really expensive too!( I ended up getting it from My sister).
Be sure to get the large aluminum foil when wrapping the pan.
There are a-lot of steps and I have a new appreciation for my sisters talent for baking.
The cheesecake came out great! I had never used a torch before it was something new to learn…. I think it tasted good and looks nice however, It didn’t have a big crem brûlée taste. so I was a tad disappointed. But for the time it took to make, Overall It was great!
Well Beth, if you are not the baker of the family, maybe you will be after this! This recipe is a little more advanced so pat yourself on the back :) I’m so glad the recipe was a success and that you all enjoyed it! Thank you for leaving a comment!
I’m not sure Beth, but I was thinking the Brûlée was the top torched which they were referring to
Arlene
Thank you so much for this recipe. I have been making so much pavlova lately and have so much egg yolk in the fridge. Thankfully I found out your recipe and tried it out. The moment I taste the cake “spoon drop” damn this cake is amazing and even my family loves the cake. The step is easy to follow and not much ingredient needed.
Spoon drop, haha!! I love it!! I usually have the opposite problem, too many egg whites in the fridge from making cheesecake and custard. Clearly I need more pavlova in my life! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe Fatin, and thank you for commenting!
I like the flavor of this, but I’m wondering if I baked it too long. It was SO jiggly I baked alittle longer. So it’s not creamy inside like my usual cheesecakes. Is the texture of this supposed to be creamy like creme brulee or not as smooth?
Hey Cindy! I wasn’t there in the kitchen with you so I can’t say if it was too jiggly, but it does sound like it might have been a tad overbaked. The texture should hit somewhere in between a traditional cheesecake and the center of a creme brulee. So it’s not going to be quite as soft as a creme brulee, but it is creamier than a cheesecake, if that makes sense!
Hi I made the cheesecake and it turned out amazing. Thanks for the great recipe.
Also if I would want to make the cake in Ramekins what would the timings be for baking and cooling. And the timings for a smaller inch cake.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Aysha! Unfortunately I haven’t tried this cheesecake in a different size pan, so I can’t give you bake times. You will have to go by trial and error! Good luck!
Just for everyone who wants to try it:
Small inch cake tool me 1:10h and Ramekins about 30-40 minutes. Good luck !
Oooo, thank you! Can you tell me how many ramekins you got out of the full recipe?
Yes it was wonderful
I have made this three times now with two of those being for my daughter’s birthday the past two years at her request! We love cheesecake, but this is by far the cheesecake of all cheesecakes! Good gosh this cheesecake is luscious!!! Thank you for the recipe!
That is awesome Pamela, I’m so glad it’s become a birthday tradition! It’s really hard to beat that topping, right. Thanks for much for commenting!
I made this for Easter dessert, and it was a a big hit!! I saved some for myself, but most went home in care packages. It’s definitely a “keeper” as we say in our house, and everyone wanted the recipe, too, so that tells you how much they liked it. Thank you for another great recipe!
Oh you are much nicer than I am Lynn. I’m pretty stingy when I make this cheesecake, haha! I’m so glad it was a hit and everyone liked it. Thanks for reviewing!
Made this for my husband tonight for his birthday. It was a huge hit. His two favorite desserts are creme brulee and cheesecake. This recipe is the perfect marriage between the two. It is a little on the sweet side- the fresh raspberry is a must. I would suggest cutting and then bruleeing. Doing the whole thing beforehand looked awesome but cutting slices- it was hard to get an even amount of that delicious caramelized sugar. Thanks for this great recipe!
Two favorite desserts in one! I’m so glad he liked it :) And I agree, the presentation is awesome when you brulee the whole top, but it’s really more practical to do a piece at a time. Thanks for reviewing Tasha!
I made this and the office loved it! I made a raspberry sauce to go with and it was sooooo gooood. One note: make sure your roasting pan is wide enough for your springform before you start!
Raspberry sauce with this would be amazing!!!!
My sister’s husband (he’s in the Navy) is coming home Friday YAY and what better way to celebrate than making this! Two of his all-time favorite desserts in one and oh will it be hard to steal a slice for myself. I cannot wait to see the huge smile on his face when he walks in the door and sees this waiting for him! Will tag you in a picture of the finished product, this looks absolutely delish and I’m sure it will taste just as amazing.
I can’t wait to see the picture Carly!! I’m sure your brother in law will love it! You are so nice to make it for him :)
I make reg cheesecake and put crust in freezer when I make filing Do you have to bake the crust
Also I love this cheesecake put the crust sticks a little should I spray the pan Made this 4 times
great each time but having a little problem with crust..NO LEFTOVERS.
Hey John! Yes the recipe does call for baking the crust. There is no need to spray the pan because there is enough butter in the crust itself. I’m glad you liked it!
HUGE HIT! Came out perfect! Wish I could post a picture.
Hey Ashley! I’ve love to see it! If you are on Instagram, you can post it there and tag me :) I’m so glad it was a hit!!
Love this recipe, I found this kitchen tip of instead of using foil to wrap your springform pan use one of those crockpot liners and just tie it off around the pan,
So much easier
oh my gosh!!! That’s genius Linda!! An even better idea that foil because foil tears so easy. I love it! Thanks for sharing!
I made this recipe for the first time yesterday. It turned out wonderful, and I will for sure make it again. A few notes that might be helpful for someone else. The 3 layers of tinfoil probably depends on the quality and size of your tinfoil. My tinfoil is so heavy duty that it is almost like sheet metal and so wide that it goes way above the spring form all the way around. One layer did the job just fine, no hint of moisture in the crust. So use your judgement on that. Second observation, 35 gingersnap cookies probably depends on the brand you are using, it took way less for me to make 1 3/4 cup of cracker crumbs. And on that note I had way to much crust material. I barely used half of it, and still had a very tick crust. So adjust accordingly especially if you are the type who don’t really care for crust to begin with.
Super helpful tips Jeanette, thank you for the detailed review! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cheesecake.
I have been making a great cheesecake for years in a water bath and I do wrap in foil
put then put it in a roasting bag no water . you can wrap another foil outside the bag or
use butchers twine to hold up the bag.
Great tip John! Thanks for chiming in!
They all look amazing deliouse ch
I replace 1 cream cheese for mascarpone, it was great
That’s a great idea Frances! Thanks for the tip!
Awesome & mind blowing! It’s the best of both desserts! Everyone I’ve ever made this for, keeps raving about this cheesecake!
Superfine sugar & the blowtorch is key to the brulee cracked sugar topping. The extra yolks in this recipe as I used organic brown eggs, added a deep moist richness to this cheesecake.
Hooray! I’m so glad you all liked it Carri. I agree, superfine sugar, blowtorch, and tons of egg yolks are essential! So glad it worked out for you. Thanks for the comment, reviews like this help me out so much! :)
I made this cheesecake twice, both with a gluten free cookie crust. EXCELLENT!!! She isn’t kidding about needing 3 layers of aluminum foil before putting into a water bath. My first attempt had a bit soggy crust, but it did dry out. Still excellent.
Just have a question about the butter for the crust: do you use 5 tbsp melted butter or 5tbsp butter, melted?
Hey Pat, that’s the same thing! 5 tablespoons of melted butter or butter, melted, any way you slice it.
I have made this cheesecake twice now and it is incredible! The vanilla bean paste really adds a fantastic taste. I’m not very good yet with the kitchen torch, but it’s great just the same. Covering the pan with the layers tin foil is essential as my first attempt got a bit soggy. Still tasted great. I also used gluten free cookies for the crust. Delicious!
That’s awesome Linda, I’m so glad the cheesecake is a hit! Good to know you can use gf cookies for the crust, that’s a great idea. Thanks for the tip and comment!
I’ve made this 2x now. My husband wants me to make this when he walks for his PhD. I was wondering, will this work without a crust? It is so creamy and light!
Hey Karen! I’m so glad you like it! I have never tried it without a crust. Not sure how it would work. I’ve never seen a crustless cheesecake.
Thanks for your inspiration! I didn’t make this exactly, but I based my own creation on this and your timing. It was perfect! I love making flans and creme brulees because what’s not to like about eggs, sugar and cream mixed together? Adding cream cheese just adds to the heavenliness of the dessert! Thanks for the tip about the top browning. It was my first baked cheesecake. And although I myself love the hard crust of caramelized sugar, I opted to make a strawberry whipped cream for the topping as I had some berries I wanted to use up.
I’m so glad it worked out Karen! How can you go wrong with Strawberry whipped cream. Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing your version!
I made this and brought it work on Easter. Everyone raved about it and some are 2 pieces. They all wanted the recipe…and one were sad they missed out on it! Making it again today for a family dinner and m excited to hear how they like it.
I’m so glad the recipe worked out for you Becky! It’s always nice when you become famous in the office for dessert! You have lucky coworkers :) Thanks for commenting!
I made it for the first time, everyone loved the cake. I really loved the cheese caramel combination, but it was too sweet for me (and I love sweet). In addition, the texture was too eggy for me
I’m sorry you didn’t love it Tami! Thanks for your input!
I’ll certainly make it again, but with a minor changes :)
Love this cheesecake. It’s a hit every time I make it. Eggnog sub in once and it turned out delicious. Also, don’t have a pan large enough to water bath my springform pan so on the suggestion of my wife, I’ve been cooking this cheesecake in a large cast iron skillet. It seems to work about the same as the water and looks great when serving it.
#thefoodcharlatan #cheesecake #castiron
Hey Darren! I’m so glad it was a hit for you guys! Eggnog sounds amaaaazing that’s genius. And good tip with the cast iron! I never would have thought of that.
This is my FAVORITE cheesecake recipe! I have searched for and tried many others but nothing compares to this one. PLUS! I don’t feel as guilty since it is loaded with protein (from the eggs). Yes, still lots of sugar, but I still consider this recipe to be healthier than the rest. If this recipe is able to translate into an INSTANT POT recipe I would love to try it! Also, whenever I removed all the foil from the springform pan, after baking, it was filled with water anyway. I wondered what the point was, to wrap it in foil if water seeps in anyway? Everyone who eats this cheesecake I’ve made from your recipe is in love!
You’re so right! All those eggs makes this practically a health food, right?? ;) The point of the foil is to keep the water out. Even a tiny rip will let water in though, so you have to be careful! Wouldn’t it be nice to have an instant pot recipe for this?? I’ll have to try it out!
How do you make the vanilla bean paste?
Hey Sylvia! You don’t make it, it’s something you buy. You can find it in the grocery store next to the regular vanilla, or buy online.
Hands down one of the best cheesecakes ever. I did make an opps and didn’t add all the cream and egg mixture. I forgot there was some left in the bowl after I had poured it into a big measuring cup. It still came out wonderful. Thanks so much.
Channa
The Sassy Cake Lady
Just made this. Was easy, just not a process I’m familiar with; all the tips and tricks helped.
I cooked it only 80 minutes. My oven has shown correct temp with multiple thermometers, so not sure why it went so fast, but it was at 170F in the middle at that point and looked done, so I took it out.
Fun part: once it was cool, I moved the pan to a plate after removing the foil. Then I went to throw the foil away, and as I was about to do so, realized that it makes an ideal cover for the cheesecake (while still in the springform)! Double duty.
Will serve it to New Year’s Eve guests tomorrow. And we’re having an egg-white omelette for breakfast :)
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!! Thanks for all the feedback! I love these kind of comments. Egg white omelette is probably a good idea after this cheesecake!! :)
So, I wrapped my cheesecake with aluminum foil many times like you said and sadly water got in… the good thing is it didn’t ruin my cheesecake , only hurt the very outside edge of the crust . My theory is the butter in the crust kept the water from permeating it. So good news, it worked out! Not to mention I didn’t have a pan that was large enough to sit the cheesecake in so it only was placed in about 1-2 inches of water during baking and also came out well. So FYI neither were deal breakers ! Yay!
Hooray! I’m glad it still worked out Elizabeth! I love this cheesecake. Thanks so much for sharing your tips!
Could this be frozen, then thaw and then torch? Thanks , carla
Hey Carla! I’ve never tried it but I think it would work just fine! Did you try it already?
If I wanted to make this an eggnog creme Brule cheesecake could I just subbed make half or all of the cream worth eggnog or do you need the thickness that cream brings?
Thanks!
Eggnog is pretty thick!! I think it sounds amazing! Sorry I’m late responding, did you already try it out?
Curious if anyone has ever tried a chocolate wafer crust with chocolate chips and chocolate ganache topping?
Whaaaaat that sounds incredible Karen, let me know if you try it! Although I would skip the ganache, it would overpower the caramelized sugar flavor! :)
I made this cheesecake for a friends dinner party. We found that people who do not eat dessert, could not get enough of the cheesecake. It’s the best cheesecake I have ever eaten. It’s now become my signature dish. Thank you for sharing the recipe
I’m so happy you love the recipe Nisha! Everyone needs a signature dish! This is a good one :) Thanks so much for leaving your review!
Karen here, I got this email from a reader and thought I would share:
Dear Karen,
I’m not big on posting but I just wanted to know I made your creme brûlée cheesecake and loved it!! Two of my most favorite desserts in one. Your directions were perfect. I make a lot of cheesecakes and was intrigued by the unique combo. It was a hit! Like you, I have had a torch for probably years but didn’t really investigate where or how to fill it. Done and done!
I follow you on Pinterest and love your site. Keep up the good work! Blessings for a great week.
Suzanne
PS I used biscoff cookies for the cheesecake crust – if you haven’t tried them – it’s a must!
My husband and I just made this for a dinner with friends. It was a huge success!! Everyone said it was the best cheesecake they’ve ever had! We will not make cheesecake any other way now! My husband often experiments with making custard and new flavors, he’s already dreaming of adapting this technique to his recipes. Our next one will be a dark chocolate one!! Thank you for sharing!!
Jenna I’m so excited about a chocolate version of this!!! That sounds amazing! Can you share the recipe with me if you try it?? I would love to blog that!
We just made the chocolate version! It was an experiment so I can tell you what we did and what we would change for next time if you want! How would you like me to send it? It was definitely very yummy!!!
Okay Jenna I am SO EXCITED about this!!!! Please email it to me, I’m dying to make it!! karen@thefoodcharlatan.com yay!
Absolutely delicious! I am completely in love with the texture of this cheesecake, not to mention the delicate sweetness of the vanilla beans throughout! Pure decadence:) Definitely saving this recipe and excited to browse the rest of your recipes! Thanks again!
Texture is everything right?? I’m so glad you liked it Erin. Let me know what you try next! Thanks for the review :)
I’m SO excited with how well this turned out, that I had to let you know right away! So, I must confess, I’ve only tried a couple recipes from your blog, and it takes a while for me to trust people when it comes to food. I’ve made MANY cheesecakes in my life, and I loved the idea of a creme brulee cheesecake, but I was nervous this might not be a good recipe. Anyway, this cheesecake is de-LISH! My cheesecake was done by 75 minutes. I took it out of the oven, and allowed it to cool sitting in the water bath for a while. I was most nervous about bruleeing the cheesecake and then slicing it, OR slicing and then bruleeing. What would work best? I decided to slice the cheesecake, and brulee individual slices, since I didn’t want that sugar layer to crack. It worked really well to brulee individual pieces. I sprinkled about 1/2 tsp of superfine sugar over each slice. To garnish, I drizzled salted caramel sauce on the plate, topped it with a slice of cheesecake, then garnished with a small dollop of whipped cream, a white chocolate heart (sprinkled with valentine nonpareils), and a single raspberry. I actually really liked the salted caramel paired with the cheesecake. I will also say that it’s true that the bruleed layer does not stay hard for long. I did an experimental piece early in the day, and by dinner time, it had softened. Oh, and for the crust, I just used graham cracker crumbs. This is absolutely delicious, and it is getting added to my cheesecake repertoire! Thank you so much for another delicious recipe! I’ll have to check more of your recipes out.
I made this for Christmas Eve this year and it is the BEST! I made two tonight for our friends Valentine’s party! The only problem I had was it was hard to cut. Any suggestions on how you cut yours to get nice slices? Mine were ugly but delicious.
Yay! I’m so glad you love it enough to make it twice Adreane! I made this twice over the holidays this year. I had all 20 egg whites in a tupperware in my fridge, and kept thinking I was going to use them and I never did. Aaaaahhh! Don’t be like me!
Anyway. Slicing. The best way to get clean lines is to get a super sharp knife, heat it up in a glass of hot water, take it out and dry it on a tea towel, then make a slice. Then clean off the knife, heat it again for a second, wipe, slice, repeat. You want a hot dry knife to get clean lines.
This recipe does not set up as much as normal cheesecake, plus you have the crackly top that is tough to get a straight line on, so it is a tricky one to make look perfect. But it’s worth it right??
Karen here! I got this helpful email from Jay, who said I could publish here:
“Hi Karen,
A neighbor sent me your creme brulee cheesecake recipe and I had to try it. It came out wonderfully. Other recipes I’d found were pretty much just cheesecake recipes but this was a custard.
I have a couple of comments that you might consider.
I added vanilla paste to the cream and well as directly to the batter to emphasize the vanilla.
I assembled on the oven rack so I wasn’t lifting the whole weight. I placed the roasting pan on the rack, set the springform with the batter in the pan, then added the hot water into the pan right on the rack. I reversed the procedure after cooking so once again I wasn’t lifting the whole think out of the oven.
I had gingersnap lumps so I sifted them out giving me nice even granules to work with.
I make creme brulee fairly frequently, and to ensure an even coating of sugar on top, I pour an excessive amount of sugar into each dish, tilt and rotate until I get an even coating then pour off the excess. I applied that basic idea to this. I left the springform on, using just granulated sugar, poured in a little extra (about 1/4 cup), tilted and swirled it around until I had an even coating (the springform gave me a handle). Then removed the springform before torching the sugar.
So those were my comments, thanks again for the recipe.
Jay
I would like to make this in an 11 in springform as I have a larger group of guests. Do you have suggestions about recipe adjustments for that ? Thanks!!
Hey Anne! I honestly don’t know. Probably the bake time will be shorter. Keep an eye on it!
Hi Anne, I’m curious if you tried this in the 11″ pan, what adjustments you made and how it turned out. Thanks!
Hi Karen. I am so excited about this dessert. My daughter and I made it this evening for a dessert party we are hosting this weekend. Thanks for sharing!!!!
So fun Dan! Why don’t I host dessert parties?? I actually just made this again last weekend because my sister in law was visiting…any excuse to make this one, right? :)
Have you tried this recipe in cupcake form? I specialize in mini desserts and would love to try this in mini cupcake pans, I thought it would work until I read about the foil, any suggestions?
Hey McKenna! I’ve never tried to do mini ones. Do you have mini springform? Either way if you are doing mini I would skip the water bath and the foil entirely. Let me know how it goes!!
this was such a delicious cheesecake! the first one was so popular that I had to make another two days later. :)
Hey Suzy! That is awesome! You’ve inspired me. I think we are making this again today! nothing like some post-thanksgiving cheesecake to round out our over indulgence right? :) Thanks for the review!
Made this today, it was absolutley beautiful, from top to bottom, the crackly sweet top, creamy cheesecake and ginger crumb, it was perfect! Best cheesecake I’ve ever eaten. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Hey Lillian! I’m so pleased you liked it! It’s my favorite cheesecake now too :) Thanks for sharing your review!
OMG. I am blown away by this recipe. It made my eyes roll back in my head. The only thing I did differently was the crust, and I didn’t have a torch so I didn’t brule it. But the flavor and even the moist texture are to die for. I topped mine with a bit of the crumb mixture from the crust as well as a small handful of raw sugar. It is the best cheesecake I’ve ever made…heck, ever had. It’s the best, period! Thanks for sharing!
I followed the recipe to a T, including the 10 egg yolks. I can’t stop raving about this cheesecake!
I’m glad you liked the cheesecake so much Angel! But I’m really sad you missed out on the brulee part. You HAVE to get yourself a kitchen torch!! It’s worth it! :) Thanks for the review I’m happy you loved it!
I made 3 (yes, Three!) yesterday….two for a family birthday party today and one for a luncheon in two days, as well as two minis for my husband and me to enjoy last evening. Amazing! Very rich!
This recipe was a special request by our son for his birthday dessert after he saw it posted on Facebook. I had hesitations because of the number of egg yolks, but it came out beautifully. I have only 2 hints: 1) I used hot water in the Bain Marie (there was no specification in the instructions) as that is what my training has taught me to do, which also shortened the baking time about about 20-25 minutes (on a convection oven); and, 2) using an instant read thermometer, I assured that the centers were sufficient cooked when they tested at 150 degrees (something I read years ago in Cooks Illustrated).
These beauties are presently “chilling out” in the fridge, awaiting their crowning glory of the burnished sugar just before serving!
Wow, 3!! I’m so glad you tried it out Georgia! Thank you for the tips, I DID use hot water in my bath and I forgot to put that on the recipe instructions. Thank you for catching that! I will go change it now. I’ve never tried using a thermometer to know if a cheesecake is done, that is brilliant! Great tips!
I’m so happy that I found this recipe. My hubby and I tried a banana creme brulee cheesecake last night and it was wonderful! I haven’t been able to find a recipe for that but I think yours is the closest to it. Do you think I could use your recipe as is and add maybe 1 or 2 mashed ripe bananas?
Oh my goodness BANANA!!! That sounds so good!! Bananas have such strong flavor you probably wouldn’t need more than 2. Use VERY ripe ones. I’m not sure how much it will mess with the recipe. If you try it out definitely let me know how it goes!!!
Thanks for your quick response! I think I’m going to try your recipe as is first because it looks so delicious! I hope mine turns out as beautiful as yours!
This cake looks so delicious! Love to try to make one but do you have the ingredients in grams instead? Thanks for sharing😊
Hey Min Kit! I’m so glad you are thinking of trying it out! I don’t cook in grams and I would just be googling a cups to grams calculator. So I recommend trying that! There are lots of them out there, it shouldn’t be too hard :)
I question 10 egg yolks? Most cheesecake recipes call for up to 4 eggs. Should the cream be increased to accomodate 10 yolks? I want to make this but am reluctant to spend that many eggs on a recipe!
Hey Georgia! Yes, 10 egg yolks is correct. I tested the recipe multiple times, and many other readers have successfully made it. I wouldn’t alter the recipe, but let me know what works for you!
Yes, it probably is the best cheesecake I’ve ever made, and I have made quite a few. I served this today to my family and they all loved it, including my husband who is not much of a cheesecake eater. 3 extra slices went home with my son-in-law. And if I wasn’t so stuffed I would be eating another piece. I followed your recipe exactly and it came out perfect. It’s definitely worth the extra effort and I can never pass up a chance to use my kitchen torch. Thank you so much for sharing this. I will be posting a picture on Instagram.
That is awesome to hear Trisha!! That is exactly how I always feel after eating this cheesecake: if I weren’t so stuffed I would be eating more. haha! Thank you for the positive review! I am off to check Instagram!
I’m dying to make this but I have a question, does it matter what type of torch you use? Can it be a small one or does it have to be the the size you were using? Thanks for sharing
Hey Myra! I think any size will do! I mean probably not like a full on blow torch… but any size kitchen torch should do. Mine isn’t very big, maybe 8 inches long or so? Hope you enjoy the cheesecake!
OMGeee yesss… that creme brulee crust takes this over the top!! I’ll take it Karen! Look at those vanilla beans too… OMGee is all I can think. And those nails are looking quite pretty and delicate with that torch! Look out!
HA! I so rarely get nail compliments…It’s usually the opposite :) And YES those vanilla beans totally make the recipe! okay and the crunchy top is hard to beat too. Thanks Traci!
Oh my gosh, how ridiculously cool is this cheesecake!!! And i mean, using a torch is always just so fun :)
It IS fun Ashley!! You actually get to play with your food! AND fire. Win win. Embracing the tween boy in all of us.
I used to work at a bakery and torching the creme brûlées was always my favorite thing to do! This recipe is OFF THE HOOK! Drooling over here.
Thanks Lauren! You must be a pro then if you did it all the time! I feel like my technique could be better :)
Whoa! What a decadent combination! I want a slice :)
If I give you my address, will you mail me some? I can pay for postage.
Ha! I don’t know that this would mail successfully Nate…in fact I’m like 100% it would suck after 3 days at room temp. I’ll make it for you next time I see you though!
Cheesecake is my favorite dessert ever and I love this twist with the brûlée! :)
This. Is. INSANE!!!! OMG!
Dear Valentine, Will you make this for me? It looks incredible. The only thing more romantic that I can think of is two penguins having sex.
Hahahahaha!!!!!!!!! You are so right.
There aren’t to many things better than Creme Brûlée. But then you make a Creme Brûlée Cheesecake and WOWZERS! Just got better!
You are the bomb.com!!!
YUM! I need this cheesecake in my life! I do not have a torch, and am not really in the mood to go buy yet another kitchen appliance, so is there anyway to caramelize the top without it (sorry if that is a stupid question)? Will I just have to make it without the topping (tear)?
Stefanie I am so sad to break this news to you, but YES, you really do need a torch for this cheesecake. But they are only like $20 or $30 bucks!! Save those pennies!! It’s worth it!! The only other option is to broil, and I just think it would end up getting the cheesecake too hot and ruining it. :(
Better yet, just purchase a torch at the hardware store! Far less expensive and worlds just as well.
Have I told you how genius this is?!! I wish I could have a slice for breakfast, with all those eggs its gotta be a breakfast food right?!
I haven’t been able to get this thing out of my head since you showed us a sneak peek! It is a dream come true. Valentine’s Day for sure!
OMG!!!!!!!! I’m just speachless!! This looks absolutely amazing!! Gosh, pencil high fives?!?!? What will they think of next?!?! Hope your hand is getting better!
What a gorgeous Valentine’s Day treat!