Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until the eggs are broken

Heat the cream until it starts to simmer, then slowly pour over the egg mixture while continuously whisking

Strain the mixture through a fine sieve mesh twice, and set aside to cool down

Preheat oven to 350F (conventional) and butter the bottom of a 9" springform pan. Wrap 2-3 sheets of aluminum foil on the outside of the pan tightly (along the bottom and outer edges) so water cannot get in

Crush the Nilla Wafers and melted butter in a food processor until they form a fine crumb

Transfer to the pan and press down as tightly as you can into a crust. I like to push some up the sides too

Bake for 7-8 min. Once done, change the oven temperature to 325F (conventional)

Add the cream cheese, sugar and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer, and whisk using the paddle attachment for 2-3 min until creamy. Scrape the edges and bottom of the bowl in the middle to ensure everything is well combined

Add the cooled down creme patisserie in 3 additions, whisking slowly between each for just 15-20 seconds. In the last addition, also add the sifted cornstarch and lemon juice. Scrape the bowl and whisk for just 15-20 seconds or until the ingredients are just combined, taking care not to overmix

Pour the cheesecake batter into the pan with the baked crust. Shake gently and tap the pan on the counter 30-40 times to remove air bubbles. You can also run a skewer gently through the batter

Place a large tray in the oven (middle rack) and place the cheesecake pan in the middle. Pour 1-2" of boiling water into the tray so the cheesecake pan is dipped in water on the outside (this is a water bath). Make sure no water gets into the cheesecake pan

Close the oven door and bake for ~80-85 minutes. You can open the oven door around 75 min to check for doneness. The cheesecake should be jiggly in the middle but firm around the edges

Remove the cheesecake pan from the oven once baked, and leave it uncovered at room temperature for 15 minutes. Then take a butter knife and gently run it around the edge of the cheesecake (between the pan and the cheesecake)

Cool at room temp for 2-3 hours, then transfer to the fridge and chill overnight (uncovered)

The next day, carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan and place it onto your serving board

Sprinkle the sugar onto the cheesecake in thin layers, and use your blowtorch to caramelize it (it should melt and reach a deep golden color). Doing this in thin layers will speed up the process and achieve even caramelization

Serve & enjoy!