Elevate a classic cheesecake recipe with the subtle notes of white wine. Smooth, creamy, rich, and dense, this luxurious White Wine Cheesecake will make any occasion special!
[Note: This post is sponsored by Plymouth Bay Winery.]
Why this recipe works
- This baked cheesecake is smooth, creamy, with a dense mouthfeel
- White wine adds subtle fruity undertones for additional layers of flavor
- Serve it plain or with toppings like jams, fruit, and/or whipped cream
White wine is more than just for drinking. Its delicate notes can add subtle undertones to baked goods.
For instance, Plymouth Bay Winery's Widow’s Walk white table wine lends green apple and citrus notes to a basic cheesecake recipe, and this White Wine Cheesecake is the result. Topped with their What'ta Pear cinnamon-accented wine jelly, there's lots of flavor to be had here!
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What you need
You only need a few basic ingredients for a baked cheesecake recipe:
Key ingredients
- Full fat cream cheese: Now isn’t the time for reduced fat or nonfat cream cheese. They contain fillers that might prevent the cheesecake from setting properly. Also, never substitute whipped cream cheese for the solid block - you don't want that extra air.
- Sour cream: Loosens the cream cheese and adds that characteristic tang. Again, use full fat sour cream this time to give a rich and creamy mouthfeel to the cheesecake.
Other ingredients
- Eggs: Eggs add stability and richness. Don't over-beat them when mixing them in - again, you don't want extra air in the batter.
- Sugar: Balances the tanginess of the cream cheese and sour cream, adding just the right amount of sweetness to the cheesecake.
- Flavorings: Vanilla extract is standard, but don't limit yourself to just that. Here we're including white wine for subtle fruity undertones. Choose a white wine you like to drink.
Also, It’s important to bring all cold ingredients to room temperature before beginning. They’ll combine quickly and evenly so you won’t risk over-mixing the batter. Beating cold ingredients together will result in a chunky cheesecake batter. Who wants that?
Crafting the perfect recipe
You'll see a lot of variations when you're looking for baked cheesecake recipes. I zeroed in on the specific flavor and texture I was looking for.
Some cheesecake recipes contain flour, giving the cheesecake a more cake-like texture, and I want a creamy-style cheesecake. Some have so much sugar that I think the delicate wine flavor will be drowned out.
This cheesecake has just the right balance between a creamy, dense texture and rich, tangy flavor.
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How to make homemade cheesecake
There are 2 main components to a baked cheesecake: the crust and the filling.
Step 1: Make the crust
A graham cracker crust is standard for homemade cheesecake recipes, and it's quick to make. Plus, baking the graham cracker crust sets it and keeps it from getting soggy or shifting when the cheesecake batter is added.
Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and sugar (photo 1), then tamp down well into a 9-inch round springform pan. Use a pastry tart tamper, the bottom of a measuring cup, or a straight sided glass tumbler to pack the crust down tightly (photo 2). Let the crust cool completely before adding the filling.
Step 2: Make the filling
Beat the cream cheese until it's light and fluffy, then mix in the sugar until it's smooth and creamy. Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and wine and beat on low speed until fully combined (photo 3).
Finally, add the eggs, one at a time, and mix on medium speed only until last egg is fully incorporated (photo 4).
The most important tip to remember when making a cheesecake filling is to mix only until the ingredients are incorporated, especially when adding in the eggs. You don't want to add air into the mix or the filling will crack or bubble during baking.
Step 3: Bake the cheesecake
Pour the cheesecake batter into the cooled crust. Use a small offset spatula or spoon to smooth it into an even layer.
Bake the cheesecake in a water bath at 350°F for 55 to 70 minutes or until the center is almost set. When it’s done, the center of the cheesecake will slightly wobble if you gently shake the pan (photo 5).
Step 4: Cool the cheesecake
It's important to cool the cheesecake gradually. Turn the oven off and open the oven door slightly. Let the cheesecake sit in the oven (with the water bath) as it cools down for 1 hour. This allows the cheesecake to avoid sudden temperature changes, again keeping it from cracking.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven, then cool it completely at room temperature. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or overnight.
You can serve the cheesecake with any desired toppings, like jam, fruit, and/or whipped cream.
Storage and make-ahead instructions
Storage instructions: Cheesecake can be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Make-ahead instructions: This cheesecake can be made the day before you want to serve since it has to chill for quite some time. Another way to make this cheesecake ahead of time is to freeze it. Cheesecake can be frozen up to 2 or 3 months. Here's a helpful tutorial for freezing cheesecakes. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
Yes, because they’ll combine quickly and evenly, so you won’t risk over-mixing the batter. Beating cold ingredients together will result in a chunky cheesecake batter. Who wants that?
Now isn’t the time for reduced fat or nonfat cream cheese. They contain fillers that might prevent the cheesecake from setting properly. Also, never substitute whipped cream cheese for the solid block. Again, you don't want that extra air.
To help prevent the cheesecake from deflating and cracking as it cools, avoid over-mixing the batter as best you can, especially when adding in the eggs. You don’t want air beaten into the eggs because it causes them to inflate while baking, then deflate when cooled. This can crack the cheesecake or form bubbles on the surface.
Pro Tip: How to create a water bath
Does a baked cheesecake need a water bath or not? The reason to use a water bath is that the water acts as an insulator, protecting the sides of the cheesecake from over-browning while the filling sets.
There are 2 ways to make a water bath, and they depend on the size of your springform pan:
Method 1: Springform pan fits in a larger pan
If you have a roasting pan large enough to fit your springform pan, wrap the outside of the pan in a double layer of foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way to the top. Although a good crust keeps filling from leaking out, the foil helps protect against water leaking in.
Set the wrapped cheesecake in a large roasting pan, and pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
Method 2: Springform pan doesn't fit in a larger pan
I don't have a roasting pan large enough to fit my springform pan. Instead, I use a substitute trick by placing a 9- x 13-inch baking pan of water on a lower rack in the oven to create steam. By placing the cheesecake directly above this pan in the oven, enough steam is created to insulate the cheesecake.
For either method, if you don't fill the pan with enough water, the sides of the cheesecake can get over-browned, like in the picture above (photo 5). Be warned.
Creamy, dreamy cheesecake
This white wine cheesecake is wonderful…creamy, rich, slightly tangy, with light notes of green grapes faintly peeking out at the finish from the wine. The graham cracker crust added a buttery dimension and a nice contrasting texture to the finished dessert.
You don't have to make a full-sized cheesecake if you're looking for smaller portions. The ingredient amounts for a mini cheesecake are half of what they'd be for a full-sized baked cheesecake, and it's baked in a 6-inch springform pan, like this Lemon Curd Cheesecake.
Needless to say, this White Wine cheesecake pairs beautifully with the Widow’s Walk wine itself. I can’t stop eating the cheesecake, so I make sure to share it with friends.
Many thanks to Gabrielle Sumner, Assistant Manager at Plymouth Bay Winery, for sending the gift basket so I could play with their wines and jellies. They have many more wines and jellies to try…the possibilities are endless!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
Related Recipes
Pies, tarts, and cobblers can be sweet or savory, and there are so many fillings from which to choose. From fruits to nuts and custards, there's bound to be a pie, tart, or cobbler recipe that catches your fancy! Here are a few choices to try.
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Recipe
Smooth & Creamy White Wine Cheesecake
Equipment
- large roasting pan or 9- x 13-inch baking pan
Ingredients
For the crust
For the filling
- 4 cups cream cheese, full fat (4 blocks), at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup sour cream, full fat, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
- ⅓ cup white wine
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- toppings, like jam, fruit, and/or whipped cream, optional
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 350 °F.
- Check to see if your 9-inch round springform pan fits in a large roasting pan (to use for the water bath). Don't worry if your roasting pan isn't big enough, just use a 9- x 13-in roasting pan to create steam (see water bath instructions below).
- Make the crust: Prepare a graham cracker pie crust and press into a 9-inch round springform pan (you don't have to grease the pan first). Use a pastry tart tamper, the bottom of a measuring cup, or a straight sided glass tumbler to pack the crust down tightly.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove from oven and cool completely. Before adding the cheesecake batter, brush the top inside of the pan above the crust line with melted butter to help keep any batter that rises above the crust from sticking to the pan.
- Make the filling: Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream, white wine, and vanilla extract and beat on low speed until fully combined.
- On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until just blended. After the final egg is incorporated into the batter, stop mixing. The idea is to incorporate the eggs without adding too much air to prevent cracks later.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the cooled crust. Use a small offset spatula or spoon to smooth it into an even layer.
- Prepare the water bath: If you have a roasting pan large enough to fit your springform pan, wrap outside of the springform pan in a double layer of foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way to the top (although a good crust keeps filling from leaking out, the foil helps protect against water leaking in). Set the wrapped cheesecake in the roasting pan, and pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cheesecake (about 2 inches). Carefully transfer the roasting pan on the lower third rack in the oven.
- If you don't have a roasting pan large enough to fit your springform pan, place a 9- x 13-inch baking pan at the bottom of the oven. Pour in enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the pan. This creates steam to simulate the water bath. Put the cheesecake on the lower-third rack directly above the water-filled pan.
- Continuing: Bake the cheesecake for 55 to 70 minutes or until the center is almost set. When it’s done, the center of the cheesecake will slightly wobble if you gently shake the pan. If you notice the cheesecake browning too quickly on top, tent it with aluminum foil halfway through baking.
- Turn the oven off and open the oven door slightly. Let the cheesecake sit in the oven (with the water bath) as it cools down for 1 hour. This allows the cheesecake to avoid sudden temperature changes, again keeping it from cracking. Remove the cheesecake from the oven, then cool it completely at room temperature.
- Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or overnight. Use a knife to loosen the chilled cheesecake from the rim of the springform pan, then remove the rim.
- Cut the cheesecake into slices with a sharp knife, wiping the knife and dipping it into warm water between each cut to get nice, neat slices.
- Serve the cheesecake with any desired toppings.
- Storage instructions: Cheesecake can be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Make-ahead instructions: This cheesecake can be made the day before you want to serve since it has to chill for quite some time. Another way to make this cheesecake ahead of time is to freeze it. Cheesecake can be frozen up to 2 or 3 months. Here's a helpful tutorial for freezing cheesecakes. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
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