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Classic New York Cheesecake
Instructions
To make a properly classic New York cheesecake, we will need good cream cheese. The cream cheese can be bought ready-made in the store, or it can be made at home from regular kefir for a more rustic finished texture and a noticeably fresher flavour profile.
For the homemade version, place the kefir in the freezer overnight, and in the morning lay the frozen block out on a sieve lined with cheesecloth. The freeze-thaw process separates the curds from the whey naturally.
When the kefir thaws, its structure will be properly homogeneous; we just need to place a small weight on top to compact the cheese structure further. After a few hours of gentle pressing, the homemade cream cheese is properly ready for use.
Prepare the ingredients for the cheesecake crust according to the list above. Having everything measured out in advance speeds up the actual assembly considerably.
Crush the cookies into fine crumbs, which can be done in any convenient way at home. Use a rolling pin and a sealed plastic bag, a food processor, a sturdy potato masher or any similar tool that produces uniformly fine crumbs.
Toast the walnuts briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat until they become beautifully crumbly and properly fragrant throughout. The brief toasting deepens the nutty flavour considerably.
Let the toasted walnuts cool slightly, then finely chop them with a sharp knife on a sturdy cutting board. Aim for evenly fine pieces rather than coarse chunks.
Melt the butter gently in the microwave on low power or on the stove in a small saucepan. Avoid letting the butter brown or sizzle.
Add the chopped nuts to the cookie crumbs and mix thoroughly. Then add the melted butter to the dry ingredients and mix the mass until properly homogeneous and evenly damp throughout.
Prepare a springform pan for the cake. Line the bottom with a circle of baking paper for easier release after the cake has cooled.
Pour two-thirds of the crumb mixture into the pan and spread it evenly across the bottom, compacting it firmly with the flat base of a glass. With the remaining crumbs, build up the edges of the pan into a shallow rim. The crust is now ready; place the pan in the freezer to firm up while we prepare the filling.
Prepare the filling ingredients according to the list. Bring everything to proper room temperature for the smoothest finished filling.
Before preparing the filling, crack the eggs into a separate small bowl to check their freshness and to avoid any stray shell fragments getting into the main filling mass.
Mix the filling using only a balloon whisk; avoid using a stand mixer or blender in this case to prevent incorporating excess air bubbles, since the cheesecake should be properly smooth, dense and free of any air pockets in the finished cross-section. In a bowl with the cream cheese, add the powdered sugar and mix gently with the whisk. As soon as the cream cheese combines with the powdered sugar, add the sour cream. Mix thoroughly. Next add the heavy cream to the filling mass and mix until properly homogeneous. Add the eggs one by one, mixing thoroughly between additions. To prevent any cracking during baking, add a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch to the mixture. The lemon juice and zest are added to prevent any eggy taste in the finished bake. If desired, add vanilla powder to the filling for extra fragrance. The filling is now properly ready.
Remove the crust from the freezer; it should be properly well set and firm. Immediately fill the chilled crust with the cheese filling. The form should be gently rotated a few times on the work surface to eliminate any remaining air bubbles in the filling.
Place a baking tray with hot water on the bottom rack of the oven, since the dessert is baked in a gentle 'water bath' that prevents the surface from cracking; preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Bake the classic New York cheesecake at this initial temperature for half an hour (30 minutes total). After half an hour, reduce the heat down to 150 degrees Celsius and continue baking for another half an hour. Then turn off the oven heat completely, but do not take out the dessert. The cheesecake should remain inside the cooling oven until it is completely cool, which will take about three to four hours.
Take the fully cooled dessert out of the oven and transfer it to the refrigerator for six to eight hours of chilling. During this time, the cheese mass will properly settle and become beautifully dense throughout.
Before removing the cheesecake from the mould, run a sharp knife around the edges to ensure that the base will not be damaged. Transfer the cake to a serving plate and decorate as desired and preferred. We decorated this one with fresh mint leaves for a beautifully simple finish.The cheesecake should be cut with a hot knife; rinse the knife under boiling water between each slice for the cleanest cuts.Pour fresh coffee and call everyone to the table.The classic New York cheesecake can be served with salted caramel sauce or your favourite homemade jam alongside.
Tips
- 1
Bring all the filling ingredients to proper room temperature before mixing, since cold ingredients straight from the refrigerator do not incorporate evenly and produce a noticeably lumpy finished filling. Take the cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream and eggs out of the fridge at least an hour before starting the actual filling preparation. The brief planning step pays off considerably in the smooth finished texture of the baked cheesecake at the table.
- 2
Bake the cheesecake in a water bath rather than directly in the dry oven, since the gentle steamy environment prevents the iconic surface cracks that ruin the smooth finished appearance. To pair this beautifully classic American baked dessert with another properly elegant homemade cake from the same global baking tradition, try our beautifully striped Zebra Pie on kefir in the oven as a contrasting Soviet-era family-friendly alternative.
- 3
Cool the finished cheesecake slowly inside the turned-off oven before transferring it to the refrigerator, since rapid temperature changes cause the dense filling to crack across the surface during the cooling phase. Patience with the slow cooling produces the most beautifully smooth uncracked finished surface every single time, with no sad sunken centre after fridge time.
- 4
Serve thin slices of the chilled cheesecake with fresh berries, a generous drizzle of warm caramel sauce or a spoonful of homemade fruit compote alongside for a beautifully classic finishing touch. For another properly indulgent homemade dessert to add to your celebration menu, try our beautifully tender Ant Hill Cake classic Soviet recipe as a rustic no-bake-style alternative for variety.
FAQ
Can I use store-bought cream cheese? +
Yes, good-quality store-bought cream cheese works absolutely brilliantly in this recipe and is the more usual choice for most home bakers preparing the classic New York cheesecake. Choose a full-fat block-style cream cheese rather than the spreadable tub version, since the block style produces the properly dense finished texture that defines this iconic dessert. Bring the cream cheese to room temperature before mixing for the smoothest finished filling without any unwelcome lumps in the baked cake.
Why does my cheesecake crack on top? +
Cracked cheesecake tops usually mean the oven temperature was too high, the filling was overmixed (which incorporates excess air), or the cake cooled too quickly after baking. Use the gentle water bath method, mix the filling only with a hand whisk rather than an electric mixer, and let the finished cake cool slowly inside the turned-off oven for several hours before refrigerating. Adding a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch to the filling also helps prevent surface cracks during the long cooling phase.
How long does this cheesecake keep? +
Store the chilled cheesecake covered tightly with cling film in the refrigerator for up to five full days for best results. The flavours actually improve slightly during the first 24 hours as the various components properly merge into the harmonious whole. For longer storage, freeze whole or sliced portions wrapped in cling film and foil for up to two months. Thaw frozen cheesecake overnight in the refrigerator before serving for the best texture and the most uniform finished consistency.
Can I add other flavours to the filling? +
Absolutely. Try adding a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract for extra fragrance, a tablespoon of grated orange or lime zest for citrus brightness, a pinch of cinnamon for warm spice notes, or a quarter cup of melted dark chocolate folded gently into the filling for a chocolate cheesecake variation. Each addition brings its own character to the finished dessert. Avoid adding too many different flavours at once, since this can produce a muddled finished result that lacks any clear identity.
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