Peaches and Cream Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Pecan Crust
- 1 1/2 cup ground pecans from 1 3/4 cups of whole pecans
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 4 tbsp melted, unsalted butter
For the filling
- 32 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 12 ounces frozen peaches thawed
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Make the crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grind the pecans in a food processor with the salt and cinnamon. Pour into a bowl with melted butter.Prepare a 9 inch springform pan by placing it on top of 3 or 4 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, then wrapping the foil up the outer walls and pressing tightly to the pan. This will keep water from the water bath from getting into the cheesecake.Spray the inside of the pan with cooking spray. Pour the pecan mixture into the pan and press it all along the bottom in an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes.
For the filling
- Set the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Purée the peaches very well in a food processor and pour into a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until reduced to 1 cup.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar, then add the cooled peach purée, vanilla, salt, lemon juice and sour cream. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down any of the batter hanging out on the sides of the bowl, as well as any at the very bottom. Beat until well combined. Then add the eggs one at a time until incorporated. (You could easily do this with handheld mixer also.)Pour the batter into the pan with the crust. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan then pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the wall of the springform pan. I find it easiest to do this once the cheesecake is in the roasting pan, already in the oven, then I fill a tea kettle with water and heat to boiling, then pour the water from the kettle into the pan and shut the oven door.Bake for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Remove the entire roasting pan with the cheesecake from the oven. Keep the cheesecake in the water bath until it cools to room temperature. Then, remove from the water bath and place the cheesecake, still in the springform pan, in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. For best results, leave it in the fridge overnight.