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Classic Cheesecake with Raspberry Champagne Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups shortbread cookie crumbs, about 10-15 cookies
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 1/2 pounds of cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 5 whole large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest of 2 lemons
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 10 drops lemon essential oil*
  • 2 cups champagne
  • 2 cups sugar
  • One lemon, juiced
  • 3 drops of lemon essential oil*
  • 6 ounces + 3 ounces fresh raspberries

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • To make the crust: Using a food processor, pulse the shortbread cookies into crumbs. Pour into a medium bowl and stir in sugar and melted butter until well combined. Mix the shortbread cookies and melted butter until well combined. Pour into a 9-inch spring-form pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and cool to room temperature.
  • Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
  • To make the filling: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and sugar in a bowl on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well. With the mixer on low, add the greek yogurt, lemon essential oil and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.
  • Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees F and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. (see RECIPE NOTES) Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cheesecake WILL NOT be completely set in the center. Allow the cheesecake to sit in the oven with the door open for about 30 to 40 minutes. Take the cheesecake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight. Remove the cheesecake from the spring-form pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cheesecake. Serve with raspberry champagne sauce. Yummy!

Raspberry Champagne Sauce

  • Place the champagne, sugar, 6 ounces fresh raspberries and juice of one lemon in blender and puree until combined. Pour this mixture into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and allow to reduce for approximately 12 minutes. The sauce should thicken when removed from heat and cooled. Allow topping to cool for 20 minutes before adding lemon essential oil and 3 ounces fresh raspberries. Gently fold the berries into the mixture and spoon onto cheesecake.

Notes

  • If you do not have lemon essential oil then you can replace the oil in the cheesecake with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and the zest of one lemon. For the sauce, you can replace it with 1 tablespoon of juice.
  • Baking a cheesecake without cracks can be a difficult feat because believe it or not cheesecakes are kind of delicate desserts. They love to stay moist! If you are worried about cracks in your cheesecake then you can wrap the bottom of the pan before starting with aluminum foil. I would do two layers of foil just to ensure you want to make sure you don't get any leaking. Before you place the cheesecake in the oven put the spring-form pan into a larger dish, like a roasting pan, and cover it with about 1 inch of boiling water. This makes sure the cheesecake stays nice and moist!
  • To check the thickness of the sauce, dip a spoon into it while simmering and place the spoon in the freezer for a few minutes to quickly cool it. This will give you a quick test for the actual thickness of the sauce.
  • If I plan ahead I like to keep the cheesecake in the fridge for at least 3 days before serving, that way the cheesecake gets nice and solid which is how I like it!
  • Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature!
 
*We use doTERRA essential oils for cooking because of their high quality and purity. You do not have to use essential oils for this recipe but if you do make sure they are food grade and safe for internal consumption. Check out my recipe notes on how to make this recipe without essential oils if you so desire. Enjoy!