Elvijs & Greta's Special Cheesecake

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 125g Selga cookies (or similar tea biscuits)
• 60g butter (82% fat)

For the Cake Filling

• 360g cream cheese (e.g., "Rasa")
• 200g sour cream (25% fat)
• 150g heavy cream (saldais krējums)
• 120g sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 15g cornstarch
• 10ml vanilla extract

For the Sauce & Garnish

• 420g frozen raspberries
• 30g sugar
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 15ml water
• Fresh raspberries & powdered sugar (for decoration)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Crust

1. Melt 60g of butter in a small saucepan. Crush 125g of cookies in a bowl (you can use a meat mallet or a food processor). Pour the melted butter over the crushed cookies and mix until uniform.
2. Line the bottom of a 22cm springform pan with parchment paper cut to size.
3. Press the cookie mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan (a potato masher works perfectly for this).
4. Wrap the outside bottom and sides of the springform pan tightly with aluminum foil, making a high foil barrier to prevent any water from seeping in during the water bath.
5. Place the pan in the fridge for 30 minutes to cool and set.

2. Make the Cheesecake Filling

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat mode, no fan).
2. In a stand mixer, combine 360g cream cheese and 120g sugar. Mix well.
3. Add 200g sour cream and blend until completely smooth. Tip: Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each step to ensure a lump-free batter!
4. Pour in 150g heavy cream and mix until uniform.
5. Add the 2 eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition.
6. Add 15g cornstarch and mix until fully incorporated. Finally, add 10ml vanilla extract and give it one last mix.
7. Take the chilled crust out of the fridge and pour the creamy filling over it. Smooth out the top by gently shaking the pan back and forth.

3. The Water Bath & Baking

1. Place the foil-wrapped springform pan inside a larger, deep baking pan. Pour hot water into the larger pan, making sure the water level does not go above your foil barrier.
2. Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes.
3. After 30 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 150°C and bake for another 30 minutes.
4. Once the baking time is up, turn off the oven but do not remove the cake. Let the cheesecake cool inside the oven with the door closed for about an hour.
5. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely to room temperature. Carefully run a knife along the edges of the pan to release the cake.

4. Prepare the Sauce & Serve

1. In a small pot, combine 420g of frozen raspberries with 30g of sugar and 15ml of water. Bring to a boil.
2. Once the raspberries break down and the mixture is uniform, press it through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove the seeds.
3. Pour the smooth liquid back into the pot, add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch, and stir constantly while cooking until the sauce thickens. Let the sauce cool down.
4. Decorate the cooled cheesecake with fresh raspberries, dust with powdered sugar, and serve alongside the raspberry sauce.