This is a traditional blueberry cheesecake in a great hazelnut crust. Hazelnuts used in baking are usually ground to a meal as almonds sometimes are. They make a very nice, nutty crust that complements the fruit well.
This is also a great cheesecake with
out the fruit.
For the crust
Ingredients
2 cups finely chopped hazelnuts
3/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
Directions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the hazelnuts, flour, and salt together. Set aside.
- In your stand-type mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar together. Add the egg yolk. Beat until it is light and fluffy.
- Add the nut mixture to the beaten butter mixture in three batches, beating after each.
- Press the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan to form the crust and refrigerate.
For the filling
Ingredients
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
- For the cheesecake, in the bowl of your stand-type mixer, beat the cream cheese, salt, and granulated sugar together. Beat in the eggs, cornstarch, and vanilla. Pour cream cheese batter into the prepared crust.
- Bake for 60 minutes or until the cheesecake tests done. Cool completely and then chill in the refrigerator.
For the topping
Ingredients
3 cups fresh blueberries
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions
- Cook the blueberries in a heavy saucepan with the corn syrup, sugar, and lemon for about six minutes, stirring occasionally. The blueberries should still retain their shape but release some of the juice. Set aside to cool.
- Serve slices of the chilled cheesecake topped with spoonfuls of the blueberries.
Baker’s note: This crust seems to stick to the bottom of the pan more aggressively than many other recipes. Heat a damp dish towel in the microwave. Set the pan with the cheesecake on the hot towel. The heat from the towel will melt the butter in the crust and will make it easier to remove slices.
How do I tell when my cheesecake is done?
There are two ways to tell if your cheesecake is done. The most foolproof is with a knife or spatula. Slip it into the center of the cheesecake. If it is done, the knife will come out clean.
Sticking a knife in the cake mars the top surface with a cut. With experience, you can tell when the cheesecake is baked with the “jiggle test”. The cheesecake will be almost set when you try to jiggle it. We suggest using the knife test for your first few cheesecakes and jiggle the cake. By observing how a baked cheesecake jiggles, you’ll soon be able to tell without the knife.
