Mix the cream cheese with the sugar with a stand or handheld mixer with the whisk attachment until really smooth. Every once in a while stop to scrape the sides with ha spatula so you know everything is getting mixed in.
Add the sour cream and vanilla essence and mix some more.
With the speed on minimum add the eggs one by one. You know you can add the net egg when the previos one has mixed in.
Put the filling in the mould and take to a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F. Along with the oven, also preheat an oven tray with water at the bottom level of the oven. If you forgot to do this, add boiling water to the tray. The cheesecake will go at the centre level of the oven, so it's not actually in the water but above it.
As soon as it goes into the oven, lower the temperature to 150°C/300°F.
Cook for 1h15min-1h30min or until you see that it's starting to become gold on the top. Halfway though the cooking make sure that the water level hasn't descended too much. If it has, fill up with boiling water. When you take it out you'll notice it still jiggles quite a bit and that's completely normal as it will set later in the fridge.
Wait for it to cool down completely and leave in the fridge overnight or at least 8 hours.