The juicy seasonal fruits work wonderfully with the ginger crust and the vanilla-scented cream filling in this blackberry cheesecake recipe. You can use either fresh or frozen berries, too, making it easy to get ahead for a Labor Day menu if you can't get out foraging nearer the time.
Ingredients (serves 10 – 12)
-
For the blackberry swirl:
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries (about 5 oz)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp plus 1 level tbsp cornstarch, divided
-
For the crust:
- 7 oz (about 2 cups) ginger biscuits or gingersnap cookies, crushed
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- Pinch of salt
-
For the filling:
- 1½ lb (24 oz) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1¼ cups sour cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
- 1 tsp pure vanilla bean paste or extract
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
Method
-
Make the blackberry purée:
- Put blackberries and sugar in a small saucepan with 1 tbsp water. Heat gently, stirring, for about 5 minutes until the berries soften and burst.
- Purée the berries with a stick blender (we recommend the Braun Multiquick immersion hand blender from Amazon) or mash well with a fork, then return to the pan.
- Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water to make a slurry, and stir into the berries. Simmer for 1 minute until slightly thickened. Set aside to cool.
-
Make the crust:
- Pulse the cookies in a food processor (the Magimix Food Processor from Williams Sonoma is our top pick) to fine crumbs. Mix with melted butter and salt.
- Press mixture evenly over the base and slightly up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan (this Nordicware springform pan on Amazon comes highly rated). Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
-
Prepare the filling:
- Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, beat in the sour cream.
- Add the remaining 1 tbsp cornstarch, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined and smooth.
-
Assemble cheesecake:
- Pour half the cream cheese mixture over the crust and dot with a few teaspoons of the blackberry purée.
- Cover with the remaining cream cheese mixture and smooth the top. Drizzle remaining blackberry purée over the surface and run a skewer or thin knife through it to create a marbled effect.
-
Bake:
- Place the cheesecake on a baking sheet (this Good Cook nonstick baking sheet from Amazon will do the trick) and bake on the middle shelf for about 1½ hours, until set but slightly wobbly in the center.
- Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and leave the cheesecake inside to cool slowly.
-
Chill and serve:
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Run a knife around the edge before releasing from the pan.
Lots of blackberries to use up? Try this recipe for Martha Stewart's apple and blackberry cake for another tasty treat.
