Vanilla Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

• 1/2 cups walnut pieces
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 Tablespoons butter, melted

Cheesecake

• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Blueberry Sauce

• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon cold water
• 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• (Serves 6-8)

Directions

Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch springform pan with a little butter and set aside.
2. Use a food processor to pulse the walnuts with 1/4 cup of the sugar into ground into a coarse meal. Add in butter and pulse into the mixture is moist but still coarse.
3. Press the crumbs into the pan and bake for about 12 minutes.

Cheesecake

1. Mix in the sour cream with 1/3 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and then cover and set aside.
2. Set the oven to 300 degrees F.
3. Use a large mixing bowl and beat the cream cheese on low with the rest of the sugar, along with the vanilla seeds, until combined. Add in the eggs one at a time, continuing to mix on low.
4. Pour in the rest of the vanilla extract, along with the almond extract. Slowly add the cream to the mix, blending until smooth.
5. Pour the batter into the baked crust and then bake for about an hour, until the cake is lightly golden and still a bit jiggly in the center.
6. Use a spatula to smooth the sour cream topping onto the cheese cake and then continue baking for another 5 minutes.
7. Allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature and then use a knife to go around the outside edge. Remove the ring.
8. Refrigerate for 3 hours and then cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.

Blueberry Sauce Topping

1. In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, water, sugar and salt.
2. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to low heat, simmering for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with a little bit of the blueberry sauce until the cornstarch dissolves and then add back into the rest of the sauce.
4. Cook for a further 2 minutes and then transfer to a container and then refrigerate for 2 hours.
5. When ready to serve, use the cold blueberry sauce to top the chilled cheesecake and enjoy.