Classic Instant Pot Cheesecake

Mother's Day and the house was full — the full family, the noise, the chaos, the beautiful impossible noise of four grandchildren and two children and their partners and me at the center, in the kitchen, where I belong, where Sylvia belonged, where the women have always belonged, not because the kitchen is where women are supposed to be but because the kitchen is where the power is. The power is in the feeding. The power is in the spoon. The power is in the woman who stands at the stove and says, "Eat," and the eating is the obedience, and the obedience is the love.

Hannah, three, gave me a card that Jennifer helped her make. The card says, in Hannah's handwriting (which is technically scribbles with a crayon, but scribbles with intent): "I LOVE YOU BUBBE." The letters are enormous and shaky and the most beautiful typography I have ever seen, including forty-three years of student handwriting and the Declaration of Independence and every illuminated manuscript in every museum I have ever visited. Hannah's "I LOVE YOU BUBBE" is the masterpiece. I taped it to the refrigerator. The refrigerator gallery expands. The gallery is the collection. The collection is the archive. The archive is the chain.

I made Sylvia's kugel. The Mother's Day kugel. The chain. The spoon. The same. Always the same. Forever the same.

After the kugel came out and the grandchildren had eaten and Hannah’s card was taped to its place of honor and the noise had softened into the particular hum of a full and satisfied family, I needed something for the sweet end of the table — something just as classic, just as non-negotiable. This cheesecake is Sylvia’s answer to the question of what comes after the spoon is set down: cool, creamy, made in the same spirit of feeding as an act of authority and love. The Instant Pot keeps it as foolproof as a recipe that has been made a thousand times already feels — which is to say, it never fails, because it is not allowed to.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 4 hrs (includes chilling) | Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar (for crust)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
16 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar (for filling)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup water (for Instant Pot)

Instructions

Make the crust. In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of a greased 7-inch springform pan. Set aside.
Mix the filling. In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar together on medium speed until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add eggs and dairy. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed just until each is incorporated — do not overbeat. Fold in sour cream, flour, and vanilla extract by hand until the batter is silky and uniform.
Fill and cover. Pour the filling over the prepared crust, smoothing the top with a spatula. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil to prevent condensation from dripping onto the surface.
Prepare the Instant Pot. Pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot insert and place the trivet inside. Lower the springform pan onto the trivet, using a foil sling if needed for easy removal.
Pressure cook. Seal the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 35 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release for 18 minutes, then carefully switch the valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure.
Cool gradually. Remove the lid and let the cheesecake sit in the pot, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Lift out the pan, remove the foil, and let it cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Chill and serve. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 3 hours, or overnight. Run a thin knife around the edge before releasing the springform collar. Slice and serve cold, plain or topped with fresh berries or a dollop of sour cream.

Nutrition (per serving)

Classic Instant Pot Cheesecake — The Archive on the Refrigerator Door