Sous vide, which means “under vacuum” in French, refers to the process of vacuum-sealing food in a bag or jars, then cooking it to a very precise temperature in a water bath. I was amazed at how easy the batter was to make, in a food processor, and how creamy this cheesecake recipe turned out! The buttery-graham cracker topping, and fresh berries were the perfect finishing touch.
I realize that many of you might not be aware of what Sous Vide cooking is– let alone owning a “Sous Vide (“Soo Veed“) circulator. Upscale restaurants have used this method since the 1970’s. At that time, a professional grade Sous Vide circulator cost upwards of $1000.00. In the last ten years, circulators hit the market at about $500. As the popularity of this cooking method grew, among home cooks, the prices have dramatically dropped. (I bought mine for less than $100, during a sale.)
If I haven’t lost your interest, yet, I have to tell you that I’m having fun cooking with Sous Vide– and I’ve just scratched the surface! In a nutshell, you are cooking your food in a sealed bag, submerged in water. The “circulator” sets the water at a precise temperature and maintains it until the food is cooked. This is perfect for steaks. Once the steak is done, you sear it to get beautiful color and added flavor.
I plan to share more Sous Vide recipes. I’ve only hesitate to share steak, fish and egg recipes I’ve cooked “Sous Vide” because I wasn’t sure how receptive you’d be! I’ll start with this cheesecake recipe.
To begin, pulse graham crackers in a food processor. Melt some butter in a skillet, and add the graham cracker crumbs and some sugar. Mix together, and set aside.
Wipe out the food processor, and mix the classic cheesecake ingredients– room temperature cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, sugar and vanilla.
Divide the batter into clean mason jars that have matching lids.
I didn’t photograph my “Sous Vide Setup” when I made this recipe. So, I’m showing you my “set up” when I made steaks (which were perfectly cooked).
For reference, I bought the Anova Precision Circulator, after doing a lot of research. I liked that this has blue tooth features, a myriad of recipes with their app– and that I can also set the temperature and time manually. A clip comes with this product, so you can attach the circulator to a pot. I decided to invest in a square food storage container along with a hinged lid — about $30.00
Back to the cheesecake. I need to mention that I always set up the Sous Vide container, filled with water first thing. I start the temperature to reach 176°F/80°C. This can take a while, so I like to get that started right away. Once the lids are fitted onto the filled jars, gently tighten them (“finger tight”). If they are too tight, the jars can shatter. Gently submerge the jars (I use my canning jar lifter) to easily do this. “Cook” for 60-75 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about an hour, then chill for at least four hours. When ready to eat, sprinkle some of the graham cracker topping and dig in!
TASTING NOTES: The cheesecake is super creamy, not too sweet and that buttery topping gives a lovely crunchy texture. The fresh berries are a nice added touch, but you can skip that if you want. While I love to bake traditional cheesecakes, and even make them in the Instant Pot, this was a fun way to play with my Sous Vide circulator. Oh, I’ll definitely make these again! I hope you try cooking Sous Vide. It’s not a cooking method for someone who has had a long day at work, and wants something now. You do have to plan ahead. The Sous Vide recipes are endless– and there are lots of blogs and cookbooks on the subject. Try it! I think you’ll like it.
Creamy and Perfect Sous Vide Upside Down Cheescake Jars
Equipment
- Sous Vide Precision Circulator
- 8 4-ounce regular mouth Mason jars
Ingredients
- 3 whole graham crackers broken into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons plus ⅔ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Salt
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Instructions
- Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 176°F/80°C in 7-quart container.
For the graham cracker "crust" topping:
- Pulse graham crackers in food processor to fine crumbs, about 15 pulses. Melt butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in graham cracker crumbs, 1½ teaspoons sugar, cinnamon, and pinch salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute; transfer graham cracker topping to small bowl and set aside for serving.
For the cheesecake:
- Wipe food processor bowl clean. Process cream cheese, vanilla, ¼ teaspoon salt, and remaining ⅔ cup sugar until combined, about 15 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.Add sour cream and eggs and process until just incorporated, about 15 seconds; do not over-process. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer into 4-cup liquid measuring cup, then divide evenly among eight 4-ounce widemouthed Mason jars. Gently tap jars on counter to remove any air bubbles, then seal; do not over tighten lids.
Sous Vide:
- Gently lower jars into water bath until fully submerged. Cover and cook for at least 60 minutes or up to 75 minutes.
Cooling and Chilling:
- Transfer jars to wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours. Let cheesecake cups sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, then sprinkle with graham cracker topping and serve.
Notes
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