David's Southern Style New York Cheesecake

By davidv

This recipe is perfect for making (and serving) individual-sized cheesecakes. You’ll love the crispy crumb topping!

Tip: If you’d like to plate the cheesecake, consider using individual-sized spring form pans you can find at most kitchen supply stores.

Ingredients

• Cheesecake:
• 3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1-1/8 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• Crumb Topping:
• 1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup light brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Peach Sauce:
• 1-1/2 cups fresh peaches or 3 cups thawed frozen peaches, sliced
• 1-1/2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Preparation

Step 1

To prepare the cheesecake, first adjust your oven racks so that one is placed in the center of the oven and one is positioned at the bottom. Then, place a 9" x 13" pan, filled half-way with water, on the bottom rack. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease six 3-oz ramekins and place them on a sheet pan.

Fit your stand mixer with a paddle attachment (if available) and mix the cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon juice until fully incorporated. Add the sugar, mix until combined, and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed, add the heavy cream and flour, and mix until fully incorporated. Re-scrape the sides of the bowl. With the mixer speed still reduced, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins. Place the sheet pan (with the filled ramekins) in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the edges are set. The middle should jiggle slightly. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

To prepare the crumb topping, first increase your oven temperature to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Using your stand mixer and the same paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, light brown sugar, salt, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the flour. Mix until you have coarse, uneven crumbs with pea-sized pieces.

Pour the crumb mixture onto the cookie sheet, place the sheet in the center of the oven, and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and break up the crumb topping with a spatula; allow the crumbs to cool.

To prepare the peach sauce, place the peaches, strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and nutmeg in a medium-sized saucepot and cook over medium heat until the fruit is soft. Remove from the heat, allow the mixture to cool, then refrigerate until needed. Serve as is, or puree the mixture to make it smooth. Pour the sauce on top of the cheesecake and top with the crumb topping. Serve.