Experience the essence of summer with our delectable Creamy Peach Crumble Cheesecake. This exquisite dessert harmonizes the natural sweetness of ripe peaches with a creamy cheesecake filling, all nestled on a buttery graham cracker crust. Topped with a luscious crumble, it's a symphony of flavors and textures that will transport your taste buds to a state of pure delight.
Why You'll Love This:
- Summer's Finest: Celebrate the best of summer's bounty by savoring the juicy, sun-kissed flavor of fresh peaches in every bite.
- Textural Delight: Delight in the contrasting textures of the crisp graham cracker crust, velvety cheesecake, tender peaches, and buttery crumble—a true feast for your senses.
- Creamy Dream: Our cheesecake layer is a creamy masterpiece, offering a decadent contrast to the fruity and crumbly components.
- Balanced Sweetness: We've carefully balanced the sweetness to let the natural flavors shine, resulting in a dessert that's sweet but not overpowering.
- Eye-Catching Presentation: Impress your guests with the stunning layers of peach slices and crumble atop the cheesecake—a work of art that tastes as good as it looks.
- Prep Ahead: This make-ahead dessert is perfect for entertaining, allowing you to prepare it in advance and refrigerate it until serving.
- Baking Expertise: Explore your culinary skills with techniques like heat-treating flour, using a water bath, and layering peaches for a flawless outcome.
Recipe
Crumble Layer:
- Begin by microwaving the flour for about 90 seconds to ensure it's safe to use. Cooling it in the freezer for 15 minutes is essential.
- In a medium dish, combine the flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Use your fingers or forks to work the cold, cubed butter into the mixture until it resembles wet sand. Refrigerate this crumble mixture.
Peach Layer:
- You have the option to roast all the peaches at once or save half for topping the cheesecake later. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss the peach slices with melted butter, light brown sugar, and cinnamon. Bake for 15 minutes until tender and juicy, then let them cool.
Graham Cracker Crust:
- This crust recipe makes a thick layer that extends up the sides of the cheesecake. If you prefer just a bottom crust, halve the recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9" springform pan with nonstick spray and line the sides with parchment paper.
- Combine ground graham crackers, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until evenly moistened. Press this mixture into the pan's bottom and up the sides, then bake for 10 minutes and allow it to cool.
Cheesecake Batter:
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and place a large roasting pan on the bottom rack. Begin boiling water on the stovetop for the water bath.
- Ensure your cream cheese is softened, and your eggs, sour cream (place it in a ziplock bag for easy room-temperature warming), and yolks are at room temperature.
- Using a stand mixer, combine softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and cornstarch on low speed until smooth.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing until just incorporated before each addition. Mix in vanilla with the final egg yolk.
- Fold in the room-temperature sour cream using a spatula.
- Pour half of the batter into the cooled graham cracker crust. Layer with half of the roasted peaches and most of the crumble. Top with the remaining batter and spread it evenly. Tap the pan gently to release air bubbles.
- To create a water bath, pour boiling water into the roasting pan on the bottom oven rack. Place the cheesecake just above it on the middle rack.
- Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, checking for doneness. The cheesecake should jiggle like jello but not milk.
- Turn off the oven, crack the door, and let the cheesecake sit for an hour. Then refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Enjoy!
Slice and serve your Creamy Peach Crumble Cheesecake, topping it with the remaining peaches and crumble. It's a heavenly dessert that captures the essence of summer in every bite.