Martha Stewart Bruleed Vanilla-Bean Cheesecake

Martha Stewart bruleed vanilla-bean cheesecake is an easy dessert tart made with cream cheese, vanilla bean and a graham cracker crust, ready in 65 minutes plus chilling. Try this creme brulee style cheesecake for date night or holiday dinners, since it's make-ahead and tops off with a crackly caramelized sugar layer.

Chill the baked cheesecake for at least 2 hours before you torch the sugar, because a cold, firm filling holds up to the flame. Torch it warm and the custard softens and the sugar melts into it instead of setting into a crisp shell.

Martha bakes the filling in a graham cracker tart pan instead of a deep springform, so every slice has a thin, creamy layer with plenty of crust. She also torches two separate layers of sifted superfine sugar, which builds a thicker brulee crackle than a single dusting could.

Martha Stewart Bruleed Vanilla-Bean Cheesecake

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, FrenchDifficulty: Medium

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Calories

380

kcal

A thin, silky vanilla cheesecake sits in a crisp graham crust and wears a glassy torched sugar top. Cold filling and two thin sugar layers give you that satisfying crack with every slice.

Ingredients

• 12 graham crackers, broken into pieces
  

• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  

• Pinch of kosher salt
  

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  

• 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  

• 1/2 cup sour cream
  

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  

• 1 large egg, room temperature
  

• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped, or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  

• Pinch of kosher salt
  

• 1/4 cup superfine sugar
  

• Spun Sugar
  

Directions

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then pulse 12 graham crackers with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and a pinch of kosher salt in a food processor until finely ground, and add 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter.
• Bake the crust: Press the crumbs firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Set the pan on a baking sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes until dry and set, then cool it completely on a wire rack.
• Blend the filling: In the cleaned food processor, blend 16 ounces room temperature cream cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 room temperature egg, the seeds of 1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract) and a pinch of kosher salt. Stop as soon as it is smooth so you don't beat in extra air.
• Bake the cheesecake: Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake 30 to 35 minutes until just set. Then cool it on a wire rack for 1 hour.
• Chill it well: Refrigerate the cheesecake until cold, at least 2 hours and up to overnight. The longer chill gives you a firmer slice and a better base for torching.
• Torch the sugar: Sift 2 tablespoons superfine sugar over the top, avoiding the crust, then move a small kitchen blowtorch back and forth until caramelized. Aim the flame toward the center so the crust doesn't burn.
• Add a second layer: Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons superfine sugar to build a second caramelized layer. Then top with spun sugar if you want the showstopper finish.
• Slice and serve: Cut through the spun sugar and cake with a sharp knife. Wipe the blade clean between slices so each piece stays neat.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart 14-cup food processor, Pyrex 9.5-inch glass pie plate, Cuisinart fine mesh strainer set, Madagascar vanilla beans, grade A, 10 pods. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean?

Yes, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract works in place of the scraped bean. You lose the little black flecks, but the flavor is still creamy and warm.

How far ahead can I make this cheesecake?

Bake and chill it up to overnight, which is what the recipe allows. Wait to torch the sugar until just before serving, because the caramel softens as it sits in the fridge.

What if I don't own a kitchen blowtorch?

You can skip the brulee and serve the chilled cheesecake plain or with fresh berries. A broiler can brown sugar, but it also warms the filling, so a small torch gives much better results.

Why do the cream cheese and egg need to be at room temperature?

Room temperature ingredients blend into a smooth filling without lumps, and you only need to pulse until just smooth. Cold cream cheese tends to leave small bits that show in the baked filling.

What is the most common mistake with this dessert?

Torching a filling that is not cold enough is the big one, because the custard softens and the sugar sinks in. Sifting the sugar in two thin layers also matters, since one thick layer burns before it melts evenly.