Cheesecake With White Truffle Honey Recipe

Making the perfect cheesecake isn't easy, but you can get delicious and nearly flawless results by following a few simple tricks and tips. Pre-baking the crust, keeping the filling ingredients at room temperature, not over-mixing the filling, lining the bottom of the cheesecake pan with foil, putting a larger pan beneath it for water bathing, and not over-baking or under-chilling before its time to eat all can help you perfect your recipe.

For a twist on the classic homemade cheesecake, add some white and/or black truffles to the mix. Drizzling white truffle honey on top of a well-made cheesecake can take its flavor to another level. The sweet syrupy wildflower honey sinks in to the filling infusing the delightful earthiness of white truffles with the soft creaminess of cheesecake. For a hint of truffle flavor in each bite, substitute regular granulated salt for black truffle salt when making the crust.

Ingredients for the crust:

How do you make truffle cheesecake crust?

Classic cheesecake calls for graham cracker crust, which is made out of finely ground graham crackers. Smash them yourself or use a food processor or blender to get the crackers to a crummy, sand-like consistency. Mixing the crumbs in a bowl with melted butter, granulated sugar and a dash of truffle salt will create the crust mix. The mix should be spread in the bottom and halfway up the sides of a in a 9 inch springform pan for this "perfect cheesecake" recipe, but other bake pans can work as well. After the crust is in place it should be pre-baked at 350 F for no more than 10 minutes.

Ingredients for the filling:

How to mix the creamiest cheesecake filling?

Making sure the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs are room temperature before mixing them together is essential for preventing lumpy cheesecake filling. Trying your best not to over-mix the filling ensures that it will not crack while it is in the oven. These two tricks make it easy to have the soft and creamy cheesecake needed for drizzling. The amounts of sugar and other flavors like vanilla can be reduced for a more tangy contrast to the truffle honey. Pour the filling onto the crust in the springform pan and spread evenly.

What's the secret to baking cheesecake?

A baking technique called water-bathing is the best method for an even cook, preventing the cake filling from cracking and the crust from burning. Wrap the bottom of the springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent water from getting to your crust. Rest the foil wrapped springform pan in a larger pan where water can be poured around the cheesecake without it getting wet. For the water bath you should use hot water and pour it about 3/4" inch so that it won't go over the foil and make your crust soggy. Putting this setup in the oven for 60 to 70 minutes should be all it takes for perfectly baked cheesecake. Check after 1 hour at 350 F to see if the outside is set in place and the inside jiggles ever so slightly. Cheesecake can be over-baked easily, so try not to keep it in the oven for more than 70 minutes.

How long does it take to cool a cheesecake?

Allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature for about an hour. After that it is best to cover the pan with foil and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. When ready to enjoy, remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator, wiping off any condensation that has built up on top of the cheesecake, and take off the sides of the pan.

When does it become a truffle cheesecake?

For this recipe we put a little truffle salt in the crust, but the topping is really what adds the amazing truffle flavor to the filling, and luckily it is the easiest step in the whole process. Truffle honey goes great with all kinds of cheeses and is the best truffle product for drizzling over cheesecake. Take a few spoonfuls and lightly pour over the top of the cheesecake. If the filling is soft and not too over-baked, the truffle honey will start to melt right into the top of the cake. Add as much sweet white truffle flavor as you want!

Instructions (overview):

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. In a large bowl mix the graham cracker crumbs, butter, granulated sugar, and salt together evenly. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of 9-inch springform pan.
3. Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Set aside while you make the cheesecake.
4. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed, until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
5. Turn the mixer to low and add the sour cream and vanilla; mix well, scraping sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until mixed. Don’t over mix. Pour the filling over crust and spread evenly.
6. Double wrap the bottom of the springform pan with foil, sealing it tightly to prevent water from getting into the pan.
7. Place the springform pan into a larger pan and pour very hot water into the pan, until it’s 3/4- inch deep, careful to make sure the water level doesn’t come up higher than the foil.
8. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until the center is almost set. The center will still jiggle while the edges will be set.
9. Carefully run a knife around the rim of pan to loosen cake. Allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature for at least an hour, then cover and transfer into the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.
10. Release the sides of the springform pan before slicing. Drizzle truffle honey on whole cake or individual slices.

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Sources: The Perfect Cheesecake, What's Cooking America