Cheesecake
Today, a recipe that everyone agrees on: the cheesecake, and more specifically the New York version, the most famous and appreciated. A perfect Classic New York cheesecake recipe, which, as its name suggests, is an essential dessert from the United States.
The real traditional cheese cake is prepared with American cream cheese, the famous Philadelphia.
For the crust, Graham crackers and Digestive cookies are the most commonly used, but personally I prefer speculoos or a mixture of the two, which adds a unique touch of flavor.
An iconic American cake made with cheese
Cheese
Cake
Table of Contents
Tips and Tricks
Use ingredients at room temperature
It is essential to take the cheese out of the refrigerator in advance so that it returns to room temperature before starting the recipe. If it’s cold, you’ll have to beat it longer, which can lead to the formation of small lumps. Cheese at room temperature will be easier to smooth, and you’ll get a cheesecake with a nice smooth and creamy texture.
Do not whisk the cheesecake mixture vigorously
Mix the ingredients gently to keep the mixture creamy and smooth.
If you whisk too much, the mixture will become liquid and may crack during baking. You will then lose the melting aspect of the cheesecake.
Add the eggs one by one, mixing gently between each addition. You can also beat them lightly before incorporating them.
Do not open the oven before the baking time is up.
As with sponge cake, molly cake, or any other cake that rises in the oven, it is very important not to open the oven door before the end of baking, or at least before 3/4 of the time. Otherwise, the cheesecake may fall or crack on top.
Detach the cheesecake from the sides of the springform pan.
At the end of baking, if the cheesecake is stuck to the sides of the mold, run a knife all around. As it cools, it will slightly retract. If it’s still attached to the edges, this can cause cracks on top.
Video recipe
Ingredients:
Note: Find the printable recipe card at the end of the article
For a 9- or 9.5-inch springform pan
For the Cookie Crust
- 225 g (8 oz) Graham crackers or digestive biscuits (150 g / 5.3 oz speculoos and the rest in digestive biscuits or Graham crackers).
- 80 g (2.8 oz) butter (a bit more or a bit less). Do not add too much butter to the mixture.
For Cheesecake filling
- 600 g cream cheese (Philadelphia) (21 oz) at room temperature
- 14 portions Kiri (210 g / 7.4 oz) (which you can substitute with Philadelphia cream cheese).
- 200 ml (7 oz) heavy cream
- 150 g (5.3 oz) granulated sugar
- 120 g (4.2 oz) unsweetened creamy fromage blanc in small pots (which you can substitute with Philadelphia cream cheese).
- zest of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour ( 30g /1 oz)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (10 g / 0.35 oz).
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Gelled Berry Coulis Topping
-
- 250 g berry coulis (8.8 oz)
- 50 g sugar to taste ( 1.8 oz)
- juice of half a lemon
- 2 and 1/2 sheets gelatin (5 g (0.18 oz))
Preparation steps:
I advise you to read the FAQ below before making the recipe.
The crust:
Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F).
Lightly butter the base of the 23- or 24-inch springform pan and line it with a round of greaseproof paper. I’ve tried lining even the sides, but the paper wrinkles and it doesn’t look good, so avoid it.
Blend the cookies into fine crumbs. The crumbs should not be too fine.
Mix the cookie crumbs with the melted butter until smooth.
Spread in the bottom of the pan and press down well with the back of a tablespoon to ensure a compact base. Be careful not to dirty the sides of the pan, otherwise, wipe clean.
Place in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, then leave to cool completely before preparing the cheesecake filling.
Speculoos shortbread base for cheesecake
Cheesecake filling:
Important :
Avoid over-whipping. The mixture should remain fairly thick and creamy, which is why it’s important to use the cheeses at room temperature. This way, you won’t need to beat too vigorously to remove lumps.
Preheat the oven to 210°C (410°F).
Loosen the cheeses in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment (k), or use a hand mixer.
Add the sugar while continuing to mix at medium speed.
Add the fromage blanc, lemon zest, heavy cream, vanilla, and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
Add the sifted flour and cornstarch, then stir to smooth.
Add the eggs and mix gently without overbeating to combine everything and achieve a smooth, homogeneous mixture.
Pour the mixture into the springform pan over the cookie crust and smooth the top before baking.
cheesecake before baking
Baking:
Place a small dish filled with water on the bottom rack of the oven to help prevent the cheesecake from cracking.
Bake at 210°C (410°F) for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 100°C (210°F) and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or slightly less. The top of the cheesecake should not brown.
By the end of baking, the cheesecake should be set and not jiggle when you gently shake the pan. If you prefer a creamier texture, turn off the oven while the center is still slightly wobbly. You can see this in the video.
Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside for 45 minutes with the door closed. I often leave it for 2 hours to further reduce the risk of cracking.
Once completely cool, refrigerate for at least 6 hours. It’s best made a day in advance and left to chill overnight.
After the cheesecake has cooled, you can prepare the berry coulis. I usually do this the next day.
Gelled Berry Coulis Topping:
Soak the gelatin in a generous amount of cold water for about 10 minutes before starting.
Mix the coulis with the sugar and lemon juice, and heat until hot but not boiling.
As soon as the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat.
Add the soaked gelatin and mix well. Strain through a sieve to remove any lumps or foam.
Let the coulis cool slightly, then pour it over the chilled cheesecake.
Below, in a larger springform pan (25 cm / 9.8 inches), the cheesecake isn’t very tall, as you can see from the sliced piece.
Optional: If you want a little strawberry sauce, take 100 g (3.5 oz) of strawberry puree with 2 tablespoons of sugar and bring to a boil for 5 minutes, or a little less. Let it cool and pour it over the strawberries and cheesecake.
FAQ
How to prevent cheesecake from cracking?
The trickiest part of preparing a cheesecake is the baking process. Poorly controlled baking can lead to cracks. It is essential to bake the cheesecake at a low temperature to avoid this issue. With the cooking method I’ve adopted, the result is perfect.
It is important to let the cheesecake cool in the oven before removing it. By avoiding sudden temperature changes, you prevent cracks on the top. I plan to try baking in a water bath soon to compare the results.
Place a bowl of water at the bottom of the oven to maintain a good humidity level.
The disadvantage of baking in a water bath is that you need to ensure no water gets into the pan. Be sure to wrap the bottom of the springform pan with aluminum foil to avoid contact with water.
Which cream cheeses to use?
Normally, cheesecake is made with Philadelphia cream cheese, as the Americans do. Its taste is inimitable, just like mascarpone in tiramisu. However, it is possible to use a cream cheese with a similar texture, such as Kiri.
In my recipe, I opted for a mixture, replacing some of the Philadelphia with portioned Kiri cheese and fromage blanc in small pots. You can also choose to follow the original American recipe, using only Philadelphia cream cheese. In that case, you will need 930 g (32.8 oz) of Philadelphia. You can round it to 900 g (31.7 oz) without any problem.
Other Cream Cheese Options
These fresh cheeses also give very good results:
- Kiri cheese
- Ricotta
- Fresh cheese
- Fromage blanc or Faisselle
I’ve never tried mascarpone, but some people do.
What Type of Cookie for the Crust?
The cookies most commonly used for the crust in the original recipe are:
- Digestive biscuits (McVitie’s)
- Graham crackers
- Speculoos
You can use only speculoos, digestive biscuits, or another variety of shortbread cookies. The result is an exquisite taste. If you’re not using speculoos, which are quite dark, you can add 1 teaspoon of cocoa to contrast with the lighter color of the cheesecake.
Can you freeze a cheesecake?
Yes, no problem at all. You can freeze the cheesecake once it has cooled well, for up to a month. I prefer to cut it into slices before freezing and placing them in a large airtight container.
To defrost, simply take it out of the freezer the day before and leave it in the fridge to regain its consistency.
Classic New York Cheesecake Recipe
INGREDIENTS
For a 9- or 9.5-inch springform pan
For the Cookie Crust
- 225 g Graham crackers or digestive biscuits (150 g / 5.3 oz speculoos and the rest in digestive biscuits or Graham crackers).
- 80 g butter (a bit more or a bit less). Do not add too much butter to the mixture. (2.8 oz)
For Cheesecake filling
- 600 g cream cheese Philadelphia (21 oz) at room temperature
- 14 portions Kiri (210 g / 7.4 oz) (which you can substitute with Philadelphia cream cheese).
- 200 ml heavy cream (7 oz)
- 150 g granulated sugar (5.3 oz)
- 120 g unsweetened creamy fromage blanc in small pots (4.2 oz) (which you can substitute with Philadelphia cream cheese).
- zest of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (30g /1 oz)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (10 g / 0.35 oz)
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Gelled Berry Coulis Topping
- 250 g berry coulis (8.8 oz)
- 50 g sugar to taste (1.8 oz)
- juice of half a lemon
- 2 and 1/2 sheets gelatin 5 g (0.18 oz)
PREPARATION
- I advise you to read the FAQ below before making the recipe.
The crust:
- Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F).
- Lightly butter the base of the 23- or 24-inch springform pan and line it with a round of greaseproof paper. I've tried lining even the sides, but the paper wrinkles and it doesn't look good, so avoid it.
- Blend the cookies into fine crumbs. The crumbs should not be too fine.
- Mix the cookie crumbs with the melted butter until smooth.
- Spread in the bottom of the pan and press down well with the back of a tablespoon to ensure a compact base. Be careful not to dirty the sides of the pan, otherwise, wipe clean.
- Place in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, then leave to cool completely before preparing the cheesecake filling.
Cheesecake filling:
- Important :Avoid over-whipping. The mixture should remain fairly thick and creamy, which is why it's important to use the cheeses at room temperature. This way, you won't need to beat too vigorously to remove lumps.
- Preheat the oven to 210°C (410°F).
- Loosen the cheeses in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment (k), or use a hand mixer.
- Add the sugar while continuing to mix at medium speed.
- Add the fromage blanc, lemon zest, heavy cream, vanilla, and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
- Add the sifted flour and cornstarch, then stir to smooth.
- Add the eggs and mix gently without overbeating to combine everything and achieve a smooth, homogeneous mixture.
- Pour the mixture into the springform pan over the cookie crust and smooth the top before baking.
Baking:
- Place a small dish filled with water on the bottom rack of the oven to help prevent the cheesecake from cracking.
- Bake at 210°C (410°F) for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 100°C (210°F) and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or slightly less. The top of the cheesecake should not brown.
- By the end of baking, the cheesecake should be set and not jiggle when you gently shake the pan. If you prefer a creamier texture, turn off the oven while the center is still slightly wobbly. You can see this in the video.
- Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside for 45 minutes with the door closed. I often leave it for 2 hours to further reduce the risk of cracking.
- Once completely cool, refrigerate for at least 6 hours. It’s best made a day in advance and left to chill overnight.
- After the cheesecake has cooled, you can prepare the berry coulis. I usually do this the next day.
Gelled Berry Coulis Topping:
- Soak the gelatin in a generous amount of cold water for about 10 minutes before starting.
- Mix the coulis with the sugar and lemon juice, and heat until hot but not boiling.
- As soon as the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat.
- Add the soaked gelatin and mix well. Strain through a sieve to remove any lumps or foam.
- Let the coulis cool slightly, then pour it over the chilled cheesecake.
Notes
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