Crème Brûlée Cheesecake is the perfect combination of a cheesecake and a crème brûlée, because it brings together the best of both worlds. A super creamy filling with a beautiful caramelized sugar crust that “cracks” so nicely when you cut it. So light and creamy – absolutely fantastic.
I really love making the sugar crust with the kitchen torch and not only seeing but also smelling how the sugar caramelizes and then realizing: almost time to enjoy this delicious crème brûlée cheesecake.
Tools & Equipment
- 25cm / 10-inch springform pan
- Egg separator
- Kitchen storch
- Medium bowl
- Parchment paper
- Pastry Brush
- Plastic wrap
- Rolling pin
- Stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and paddle attachment
- Wire rack
- Ziplock or plastic bag
Recipe Tips
Baking Pan: to make this cake you can use a springform pan or a tart pan with a loose bottom.
Kitchen Torch: In case you do not have a torch, you can caramelize the sugar in the oven. To do this, sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on the cooled cheesecake and place it on a baking sheet. Put the baking sheet on the top rack of the oven. Adjust the oven to high heat and keep a close eye on the cheesecake to prevent it from burning.
Caramelize: you will get the best result if you do the caramelizing of the cheesecake just before serving, because the cake is very moist and the caramel will dissolve after a while.
Directions – How to Make Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
Make the Crust
Grease a round pan and dust it with flour. Weigh your ingredients.
Place the cookies in a freezer bag and smash them into fine crumbs by using a rolling pin.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook combine the crumbs with the flour and brown sugar until well mixed. Add the butter in small pieces, the egg and water and knead on medium speed until smooth, for about 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 175°C / 350˚F. Place parchment on the surface, flour it lightly and roll out the dough to a diameter of about 25cm / 10-inch. Then use your rolling pin to transfer the dough to the pan. Press the dough to the bottom and sides with the back of your hand. Place the pan in the fridge until ready to use.
Make the Filling
Separate two of the eggs and beat the egg whites with a hand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gather the rest of your ingredients.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese, whipped cream, egg yolks, remaining eggs, sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until smooth, for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Gently fold in the egg white.
Pour the dough into the prepared pan and bake on the middle rack for 35-40 minutes or until the top is slightly golden. Turn off the oven and let the cake sit with the oven door open for another 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let the cheesecake cool completely. Place in the fridge and let it chill for at least 3 hours, better overnight.
Make the Sugar Crust
Sprinkle half of the sugar on top of the cheesecake and caramelize with a kitchen torch. Let it cool slightly. Then spread the remaining sugar on top of the cake and caramelize again.
Storage: serve the cheesecake immediately after caramelizing or keep it in the fridge for up to 1 hour before serving. Caramelized toppings taste best right away. You can keep the uncaramelized cheesecake in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze it for up to 1 month. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge and caramelize it just before serving.
My Summary for Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
Difficulty: simple.
Taste: this cheesecake tastes sweet, but cheesy at the same time and like caramel with a slight vanilla note.
Texture: the filling of this cake is very creamy due to the cream cheese, heavy cream and eggs, while the caramelized top is quite crunchy.
PROS: if you like crème brûlée and cheesecake, this is the perfect combination of both. Simply delicious.
CONS: the caramelized cheesecake can unfortunately not be stored for long. It is best to enjoy it the day you caramelize it. The next day the cake still tastes good, but the sugar crust is not as nice.
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