Vanilla Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the Crust:
220g Graham Cracker (or Digestive Biscuit) Crumbs
2 tbsp sugar
75g butter, melted

For the Filling:
480g cream cheese, at room temperature (or you can use my home-made cream cheese recipe to prepare your own)
100g sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

For the Topping:
240ml sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp sugar

Method:

Combine the crust ingredients in a bowl and stir to mix thoroughly before pressing into the base of a 22cm diameter springform cake tin. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 170°C and bake for 5 minutes before removing from the oven and setting aside (leave the oven on).

In the meantime, beat the cream cheese until soft then add the sugar and beat thoroughly to combine before beating in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly to combine after each addition. Pour the filling mixture over the prepared crust then return to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the cake is set (it will be a little wobbly in the centre). Remove from the oven then combine all the topping ingredients in a bowl and pour over the top of the cheesecake. Return to the oven and bake for 5 minutes.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and set aside to cool. Once cold transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours. Remove the sides of the pan, top with your choice of fruit (if desired) then slice and serve.