Cheesecake is the supreme extravagance—rich, velvety, and oh-so-decadent—but when you make Greek yogurt cheesecake, that additional hit of protein and probiotics offers you an reason to delightin another piece. Because we like to think that the health advantages of Greek yogurt count, even when it’s in a cheesecake!
Let’s be sincere: Cheesecake is the drama queen of desserts. One minute, you’re marveling at its golden excellence, and the next, you’re Googling “how to repair fractures in cheesecake.” Fear not, . This dish doubles as a cheesecake baking guide, jam-packed with ideas to prevent dessert catastrophes before they takeplace. From avoiding fractures with a water bath to refining the cheesecake wobble, you’ll findout all the techniques of the trade.
But even if your cheesecake with Greek yogurt chooses to get a little additional and fractures anyhow, a drizzle of salted caramel or a stack of fresh berries will cover all sins—and taste divine doing it. After all, your preferred cheesecake dishes puton’t requirement to be ideal; they simply requirement to be scrumptious.
Ingredients for Greek Yogurt Cheesecake
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- Graham cracker crumbs: The base of every fantastic cheesecake starts with a durable yet buttery graham cracker crust. Opt for honey-flavored grahams for a richer taste, or gluten-free graham crackers if you have dietary limitations. If you can’t discover premade crumbs, make homemade ones by pulsing crackers in a food processor till they’re carefully ground.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the crust and the filling, developing balance in every bite. Look for fine granules, which liquify quickly for a smooth cheesecake texture.
- Butter: Melted butter binds the crumbs into a cohesive crust that won’t collapse at the veryfirst piece. Using saltless butter is constantly the finest method to control the taste.
- Cream cheese: The most typical component for any cheesecake dish, cream cheese develops the luscious, thick texture we yearnfor. Use full-fat cream cheese and let it soften at space temperaturelevel to prevent swellings in your batter.
- Eggs: Eggs supply structure and aid your cheesecake set into that best creamy-yet-firm consistency. Use room-temperature eggs so that they mix perfectly with the other activeingredients.
- Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt includes its signature tanginess and makes this cheesecake additional thick and velvety. Choose plain, full-fat yogurt for the finest results; flavored ranges can modification the taste and consistency.
- Lemon juice: A touch of lemon juice lightensup the filling, cutting through the richness and improving the tang of the yogurt. Use fresh lemon juice for the purest taste, and conserve some of the enthusiasm to usage as an optional garnish.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla includes a relaxing, aromatic sweettaste that matches the appetizing yogurt. For the most decadent taste, usage one of the finest brandnames of pure vanilla extract rather than replica vanilla.
- Cornstarch: A little quantity of cornstarch supports the filling, balances the moisture, avoids fractures and makessure a smooth texture.
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the pan
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wrap the bottom half of a 9-inch springform pan with 3 layers of aluminum foil and set the pan aside.
Editor’s Tip: Lining the pan with foil will keep your springform from dripping or letting in wetness from the water bath.
Step 2: Make the crust
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In a big bowl, integrate the graham crackers, sugar and melted butter. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan and about 1 inch up the sides. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake till the crust is gently browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool the crust entirely.
Step 2: Make the filling
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Increase the oven temperaturelevel to 450°. In a big bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium speed upuntil it’s smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and include the sugar, whipping till fluffy.
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Add the eggs, one at a time, till they’re included, about 5 minutes.
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Beat in the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, cornstarch and vanilla till the mix is smooth and fluffy, one to 2 minutes. Pour the filling over the cooled crust.
Step 3: Bake the cheesecake
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Place the springform pan in a bigger baking pan. Add one inch of hot water to the bigger pan and bake the cheesecake at 450° for 15 minutes. Decrease the oven temperaturelevel to 225° and continue baking upuntil the filling is simply set, about one hour and fifteen minutes. Turn the oven off and fracture the door, letting the cheesecake sit for 30 minutes or till the center sets entirely.
Editor’s Tip: A water bath balances your cheesecake’s wetness and avoids breaking. After lowering the temperaturelevel and baking, usage the cheesecake test to judge the jiggle of the center of the dessert. Give it a coupleof more minutes if it appears more liquid than strong. You desire it to wobble, not slosh.
Step 4: Refrigerate and serve the cheesecake
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Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool it overnight, covering it assoonas it has totally cooled. Loosen the sides of the cheesecake pan with a knife before gettingridof the rim from the pan and serving it.
ELLIE CROWLEY FOR TASTE OF HOME
Greek Yogurt Cheesecake Variations
- Make mix-in magic: This Greek yogurt cheesecake dish is a wonderful canvas for different tastes and activeingredients. Add fruits and berries, Oreo pieces, or swirl in a spoonful of jam, Nutella or cookie butter before baking. Some basic citrus enthusiasm includes simply enough zing. Just keep track of how much wetness you include to the filling; you might requirement to include more cornstarch so it stiffens in the oven.
- Play with garnishes: Drizzle a little salted caramel sauce on person pieces, or cover the entire thing in pumpkin butter and a layer of whipped cream. And who might state no to a chocolate ganache surface? Toppings serve more than one function: If you get a small fracture or 2 in the surfacearea of your cheesecake, these wonderful surfaces will cover up the proof, and no one has to understand.
- Get rid of the gluten: This dish is excellent for serving visitors with dietary limitations when you make a crust utilizing nuts or gluten-free graham crackers. Even the cornstarch is gluten-free.
- Get innovative with the crust: There are so numerous crumb crust alternatives, consistingof crushed Oreo cookies, Nilla wafers or shortbread rather of graham crackers.
How to Store Greek Yogurt Cheesecake
Cover your cheesecake firmly inthepast cooling it. If air goesinto your storage container, your cheesecake can dry out and lose its luscious texture. If kept appropriately in the refrigerator, this cheesecake lasts up to 7 days—if it isn’t feastedon quicker.