The Ultimate Cheesecake Recipe

This author knows about cheesecake. Boy, does he know about cheesecake. On one wonderful weekend he toured Dubai sampling the very finest that five star restaurants in the emirate had to offer, and even did a cheesecake sampling session in New York. He gained a third of a stone. They were happy times.

So when it comes to saying we've found the best cheesecake, we think, in the world, it's safe to assume it's with decent authority. Step forward the JW Steakhouse, Park Lane, London. They not only serve up eye-wateringly good cuts of beef (and they truly are impeccable) they also pride themselves, quite rightly, on a simply sensational dessert. Behold, the recipe for eternal happiness...

Ingredients:

• As needed Butter, room temperature
• 4 cups of Graham Cracker Crust
• 350g of cream cheese, room temperature
• 115g of granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 118 ml of large eggs, or liquid pasteurised eggs
• 118 ml of sour cream, room temperature
• 238 ml of sour cream topping

Graham Cracker Crust

• 280 g of Graham cracker crumbs (or digestive biscuits work too if unable to find)
• 60 g of granulated sugar
• 120 g of melted butter

Sour Cream Topping

• 200 ml of sour cream
• 20 g of icing sugar

Method:

1. Brush insides of 4 individual spring form pans (4.5 inches) with butter. Pack graham cracker crust up sides and over bottom of pans. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Preheat a non-convection oven to 120C (250F). In a mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add sugar and vanilla beat until smooth. Add eggs, beating until smooth and scraping down sides of bowl after each. Beat in sour cream.

3. Pour mixture through a medium- holed sieve, discard any clumps. Pour 44ml into each chilled crust. Bake until just set (cakes should be slightly puffed but not browned), 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.

4. Carefully run a paring knife around the crust to loosen from pan, then slightly release springs. Cool cheesecakes 30 min on a rack at room temperature. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. After chilling, remove sides and bottom from each cake and spread with 2 ounces sour cream topping.

Critical Details:

• The cream cheese must be at room temperature and beaten until very smooth in step one for this recipe to work.

• The oven temperature is very important, too high and the cheesecake will crack.

• Loosening the crust is very important, it will prevent the cake from gaping and cracking as it cools.

Book Here, for the JW Steakhouse