The filling is kept simple, cream cheese, sugar, eggs, a full tablespoon of vanilla and sour cream, so the fruit on top carries the colour.
Two berry elements finish it: fresh strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries piled on, and a quick cooked berry sauce spooned over so it runs down the sides.
One Slice, Bottom to Top
Each slice is built in four layers.
Berry sauce
Mixed berries simmered with sugar and lemon juice, cooled, and spooned over so it runs down the side.
Fresh berries
Halved strawberries with raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, piled on after chilling.
Vanilla filling
Cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla and sour cream, baked to a slight wobble and chilled at least 6 hours.
Graham crust
Graham crumbs and melted butter, pre-baked for 8 minutes.
How to Make It
Graham crust pressed and pre-baked 8 minutes
Heat the oven to 325°F. Mix the graham crumbs with the butter, press into a 9-inch springform pan, and bake 8 minutes.
Vanilla filling beaten and poured
Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and sour cream, and pour over the crust.
Baked to a slight wobble, then chilled 6 hours
Bake 50 to 55 minutes, until the edges are set and the centre still has a slight wobble. Cool, then chill for at least 6 hours.
Berry sauce simmered and cooled
Simmer the sauce berries with 2 tbsp sugar and the lemon juice until spoonable, then let it cool completely.
Four berries piled on, sauce spooned over
Top the chilled cheesecake with the strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries and spoon the berry sauce over.
Why This Recipe Works
- A low 325°F oven sets the filling gently, and stopping while the centre still wobbles keeps it dense and smooth.
- Sour cream softens the richness of 24 ounces of cream cheese and helps the filling stay creamy after chilling.
- Cooling the berry sauce completely before it goes on keeps it from melting into the chilled surface.
- Adding the fresh fruit only after the long chill keeps the berries bright and the top dry until serving.
Ingredient Notes
- Cream cheese
- Twenty-four ounces, fully softened so the filling beats smooth without overmixing.
- Fresh berries for the top
- A cup of halved strawberries and half a cup each of raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.
- Mixed berries for the sauce
- Three quarters of a cup, simmered with sugar and a teaspoon of lemon juice.
Success Tips
- Add the eggs one at a time on low speed; beating in air can crack the top.
- Judge doneness by the wobble in the centre, not by colour.
- Let the berry sauce reach room temperature before it goes anywhere near the cake.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate
Keep the cheesecake refrigerated at 40°F or below, and do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Serving Ideas
Cut into 10 slices and serve each with berries piled on top and berry sauce running down one side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the berries mixed into the filling?
No. The filling is plain vanilla; all the berries and the sauce go on top after chilling.
How long does it need to chill?
At least 6 hours after cooling, before any topping goes on.
How long can it sit out?
No more than 2 hours at room temperature. Otherwise keep it in the refrigerator.
