25pieces (3.5 oz) (100 gr) Graham crackers* type cookies
17pieces (1.8 oz) (50 gr)Ritz* type savory cookies
1tbsp (0.50 oz) (14 gr)packed brown sugar
1tspcinnamonground
1/2tspgingerground
1/2C (4 oz) (112 gr)unsalted buttersoft or melted
1/3(1.40 oz) (39 gr)Chopped nutsoptional
For the filling:
30oz (850 gr) (usually 4 1/2 packs)cream cheeseat room temperature
1 1/4C (8.80 oz) (250 gr)granulated sugar
1/2C (4 fl oz) (120 ml)whipping cream
4eggsmedium size
2tsp (0.34 fl oz) (10 ml)vanilla extract
The juice of 1 lime or 1/2 lemon
1 1/2tbsp (0.42 oz) (12 gr)all purpouse flour
1 1/2tbsp (0.42 oz) (12 gr)corn starch
1C (8.50 oz) (240 gr)sour cream
For the topping:
1/4C (2.12 oz) (60 gr)sour cream
2tbsp (1 fl oz) (30 ml)whipping cream
1tbsp (0.53 oz) (15 gr)granulated sugar
The juice of 1 limeor 1/2 lemon
For the berries compote:
2Cberries (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries)fresh or frozen
1/2C (3.52 oz) (100 gr)granulated sugar
2tbsp (0.56 oz) (16 gr)corn starch
3tbsp (1.52 fl oz) (45 ml)water
The juice of half a limeor 1/4 lemon
Instructions
For the crust:
Preheat the oven to 356° F (180º C). Line a round detachable pan of about 9 inches (23 cm) in diameter with parchment paper.
Ground the two types of cookies in the blender or in a food processor until you get a fine powder, and then place that in a big bowl.
Add in the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nuts. Add in the butter and mix using your hands until you get a sand like mixture.
Place this in the pan and even out using your hands to make the crust. Bake at 356º F (180º C) for 5 minutes.
For the filling and baking:
In a big bowl, using a mixer cream together the cream cheese, sugar and the whipping cream for 3 min. until you get a soft mixture.
Incorporate the eggs and then add in the vanilla extract and lime juice and mix for another minute.
Lastly mix in the flour, corn starch and sour cream and keep beating for 2 more minutes until you get a soft creamy mixture.
Pour this carefully onto the already cooled cookie crust.
Pour 3 cups of water in a big cake pan and place a metal kitchen grid over it, so that the cheesecake doesn´t have direct contact with the water. Then place the cheesecake on top of the grid and put it all like that in the oven (this way the cheesecake will bake in a double boiler).
Let the cheesecake bake for 30 min. at 356°F (180º C) and then drop the temperature to 325°F (160º C) and bake for another hour aproximately (depending on how runny you want the inside to be).
Once the cheesecake has a slightly gold soft surface, turn off the oven but let the cheesecake inside it to cool down completely for 2 hours aprox. This step is crucial, for this way the cheesecak won´t suffer a drasctic temperature change and won´t crack on the surface.
Once the cheesecake is at room temperature, take it out of the oven and out of the pan, to refrigerate it for at least 3 hours or overnight.
For the topping:
In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients to get a creamy mixture. Spread this over the cooled cheesecake.
For the berries compote:
Place the berries in a small pot over medium heat along with the sugar and cook, stiring occasionally for 8 minutes for the berries to loose shape.
In a glass, mix the corn starch and water and then inorporate that into the berries mixture, this will make it all thicken a little more. Add the lime juice and mix for 2 more minutes until you get the desired consistency.
Turn off the heat and let it cool completely before using it.
Decorate the cheesecake with this compote however you prefer.