Cheesecake – Express Crock or Instant Pot

Original Recipe from: https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/instant-pot-cheesecake-new-york/

Ingredients
Crust
150g sweet biscuits, finely ground. I used a mix of Gingernuts and Digestives. Both were chocolate
3 – 4 tablespoons (42g – 56g) butter, melted
Pinch of sea salt

Cheesecake Batter (20cm x 7.5cm tin)
500grams cream cheese, room temperature (2 containers)
2 large eggs, room temperature
⅔ cup (133g) white sugar
½ cup (120g) sour cream, room temperature
2 tablespoons (16g) cornflour
2 teaspoons (10ml) vanilla essence
2 pinches of sea salt

Instructions
Critical Tips Before You Start
I recommend using a Hand Mixer to mix the cheesecake batter instead of a Stand Mixer. Stand Mixers are often more powerful, thus you can easily overmix and introduce too much air into the cheesecake batter. This may result in a puffy souffle-style cheesecake.

PREPARATION
Place 500g cream cheese (2 containers), 2 large eggs, ½ cup (120g) sour cream on counter-top to reach room temperature. Then, melt the 3 – 4 tablespoons (42g – 56g) butter.

*Pro Tip: this is critical for your cheesecake’s success, so please make sure all the above ingredients are at room temperature before you start. If not, you may end up with lumpy fluff top cheesecake. So don’t skip this step!

PART A. MAKE THE CRUST
Ground biscuits. Finely ground 120g biscuits in a food processor. Or place the biscuits in a Ziploc bag and roll them with a rolling pin.

Mix Crust Mixture: In a small mixing bowl, mix finely ground biscuit crumbs, a pinch of sea salt, together with a fork.

Add Melted Butter: Mix in roughly 3 – 4 tbsp (42g – 56g) butter until the mixture sticks together.

Line Pan: Line the side & bottom of cheesecake pan with baking paper.
*Note: I used dots of butter to hold the baking paper in place.

Form Crust: Pour in the crumbs mixture. Gently press down the crumbs with a ramekin or Mason jar to form an even layer. You can also use a spoon for the edges. Freeze: Place cheesecake pan in freezer while you make the cheesecake batter.

PART B. MAKE DENSE CHEESECAKE BATTER
Mix Sugar Mixture: Mix 2 tbsp (16g) cornflour, 2 pinches of sea salt, and ⅔ cup (133g) white sugar together in a small mixing bowl.

Briefly Beat Cream Cheese: In a medium mixing bowl, briefly break up the 454g cream cheese by beating it for 10 seconds with a hand mixer using low speed.

Mix in Sugar Mixture: Add in half the sugar mixture and beat until just incorporated using low speed (roughly 20 – 30 seconds). Scrape down the sides and hand mixer with a silicone spatula every time a new ingredient is added. Add remaining sugar mixture and beat until just incorporated using low speed (roughly 20 – 30 seconds).

Add Sour Cream & Vanilla Essence: Add ½ cup (120g) sour cream and 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until just incorporated using low speed (20 – 30 seconds).
Blend in Eggs: Blend in the two eggs using low speed, one at a time. Mix until just incorporated (about 15 – 20 seconds with a hand mixer & less time if you are using a powerful stand mixer).

Try not to overmix on this step.
Scrape down the sides and hand mixer with a silicone spatula and fold a few times to make sure everything is fully incorporated.

Pour Batter in Pan: Pour cream cheese batter in cheesecake pan.

Remove Air Bubbles for Smooth Surface: Tap cheesecake pan against the counter to let air bubbles rise to the surface. Burst the air bubbles with a toothpick or fork.

Tap until you are satisfied. Ensure the surface is clear of air bubbles or fork marks.

PART C. PRESSURE COOK CHEESECAKE
Pour 1 cup (250 ml) of cold water in pressure cooker. Place cheesecake pan on top of a steamer rack (so, it’s not touching the water). Close lid and pressure cook at High Pressure for 26 minutes and Full Natural Release. Natural release will take roughly 7 minutes. Open lid gradually. Absorb any condensation on surface by lightly tapping it with a soft paper towel.

PART D. COOL, CHILL, SERVE CHEESECAKE
Cool Cheesecake: Allow cheesecake to cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Still in the pan.

Release Cheesecake from Sidewall to Avoid Cracking: After cooling for 10 – 15 minutes, carefully run a thin paring knife between the sidewall and parchment paper to release the cheesecake from the pan. Pull the slightly wrinkled parchment paper lightly to straighten it out for a smooth side.

Chill Cheesecake in Fridge: Once the cheesecake has completely cooled, place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 – 8 hours (preferably overnight).

I made a topping from the left over sourcream and creamcheese. Mix with 2 tablespoons sugar, lemon juice and rind. Spread on top. Serve: Remove cheesecake from the refrigerator.