Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. This will ensure your blueberries roast perfectly.
Toss the blueberries with the brown sugar and maple syrup in a bowl. This mixture will caramelize beautifully during roasting.
Spread the mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil for easy cleanup. Roast for about 15 minutes, until the blueberries are juicy and bubbly.
Once roasted, remove them from the oven and let them cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the cooled blueberries into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. You should have about 1 cup of puree. Set aside.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9-inch cake pan with a removable bottom by buttering it and lining the bottom with parchment paper if desired.
Crush the vanilla wafer cookies in a food processor until they become fine crumbs. Add the almond meal, brown sugar, and salt and pulse until well blended.
Add the melted butter and pulse again until everything is evenly moistened. Press this mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form a crust.
Bake the crust for about 10 minutes or until set, then remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
Now, in the same food processor or a stand mixer, pulse the room temperature cream cheese with the granulated sugar until it's smooth and creamy. Add the salt and flour and pulse again until well combined.
Add the eggs, two at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is well incorporated.
Next, add the crème fraîche, lemon juice, vanilla extract, almond extract, and the pureed blueberries. Pulse until the mixture is evenly colored and smooth with no white streaks.
Pour the cheesecake batter over the cooled crust in the pan. Place this on a baking sheet and then into the preheated oven.
While the cheesecake is baking, whisk together the remaining crème fraîche, sugar, and almond extract for the glaze. If you’re using crème fraîche, store the mixture in the fridge until you’re ready to glaze the cheesecake.
Bake the cheesecake for about 45 to 50 minutes. The center should be set but still slightly jiggly. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.
Now pour the glaze on top of the cheesecake, spreading it into an even layer.
Return the cheesecake to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, then remove it to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Finally, refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 3 hours, or ideally overnight, to allow it to set properly.
Before serving, remove the edges of the springform pan. Slice the cheesecake into 16 wedges and serve chilled or at room temperature, topped with fresh blueberries or any leftover roasted blueberry puree.
Enjoy the cheesecake that will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days!
