Whats The Difference Between Regular And New York Cheesecake
Almost every style of baked cheesecake has a base of cream cheese and eggs. The difference lies in the amount of cream cheese and the addition of sour cream.
Regular cheesecake is traditionally lighter and baked to pale perfection. For a classic cheesecake recipe try my Oreo cheesecake recipe. Simply omit the Oreo cookies for a plain version.
New York-style cheesecake is made with more cream cheese than regular cheesecake and also uses sour cream in the filling. Its typically denser and richer and is sometimes browned on top.
How To Make The Crust
Simple and delicious, this buttery sweet crumb crust is the perfect bottom layer for New York Cheesecake!
How To Prevent Bubbles On The Surface Of Your Cheesecake
One of the ways cheesecakes can have bubbles is by whipping the cheesecake filling too much. This incorporates air into the filling.
As it bakes the air bubbles rise to the surface and form some craters.
If you are afraid of air bubbles trapped in your cheesecake you can tap the springform pan against the counter so that trapped air can be forced to the surface prior to baking.
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What Youll Need To Make New York Cheesecake
Before we get to the recipe, youll need a nine or ten-inch springform pan and 18-inch heavy-duty aluminum foil. The springform pan features sides that can be removed from the base, so you can release the cheesecake easily without having to flip the whole pan over .
Springform pans, however, are notorious for leaking. Since a cheesecake bakes in a water bath, the foil prevents the water from seeping in during baking. Please do not attempt to use standard 12-inch aluminum foil you cant have any foil seams on the bottom or sides of the pan. I can tell you from experience that no matter how well you wrap the pan, if there are seams exposed to the water, the water will find a way in.
If youd like to try another technique that doesnt require wrapping the pan in foil, youll find some guidance here.
Whats The Difference Between Ny Cheesecake And Classic Cheesecake
The primary difference between a New York-Style Cheesecake and other cheesecakes is how dense and rich it is. Its stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth thick and creamy and my gosh, its so good!
There are a few differences between my Classic Cheesecake and this one, which gives this one its signature texture. First, this New York style cheesecake uses more cream cheese. As a result, theres also a little more sugar to balance out that extra cream cheese.
This New York cheesecake also uses heavy cream instead of sour cream to make it a bit firmer and denser. Extra eggs and the addition of egg yolks contribute to this cheesecakes denser texture as well and help bind everything together. They also add flavor particularly the egg yolks. Finally, I like to add a touch of lemon zest to my New York cheesecake for added flavor! That little touch of lemon really takes the flavor of this cheesecake over the top!
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We’re Making This Recipe For Every Special Occasion
Ahh cheesecake. Few desserts are more decadentor delicious. And with tons of different flavors and varieties to choose from, theres a cheesecake for nearly any occasion. Today, were going to show you how to make one of the simplest yet most beloved styles of this classic dessert: New York cheesecake.
Before you read any further, go stock up on cream cheese and these essential cheesecake baking supplies.
Equipment To Bake A New York Cheesecake At Home
You might already have these tools in your kitchen. Baking cheesecake doesnt require a ton of gear so if youre missing something, its easily attainable.
Thats it! If you make a sauce for topping, you will need a small sauce pan which most kitchens have. The most important thing is to have a spring form pan. You cant make cheesecake without it!
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New York Style Cheesecake Success Tips
Follow these tips and tricks for the best New York cheesecake:
How To Make Homemade New York Cheesecake
Crust
The crust is easily made with a mixture of cookies, sugar, and melted butter. Its baked for a few minutes before adding the filling so its crisp and not mushy.
Use graham crackers if theyre available, or vanilla wafers or digestive biscuits which are more common in Europe. Even if you use sweet biscuits, dont leave out the sugar because it acts as a glue and gives the crust a firm texture and holds its shape.
Filling
The filling is made of cream cheese, sugar, eggs and egg yolk, cornstarch, lemon zest , and heavy cream. If you like cheesecakes with sour cream, you can use sour cream instead of the heavy cream. Ill choose heavy cream over it every single time because of the texture it gives to the cheesecake.
You dont have to use brick-style cream cheese. Cream cheese spread that contains about 30% fat is ok to use. The cheese should have a thick consistency. Low fat cheese is more thin, and if you use it, the cheesecake wont be as rich or dense.
The ingredients are mixed in a mixer in a low-medium speed. The goal is to mix the ingredients well without incorporating too much air into the batter.
Baking
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How To Store And Freeze Cheesecake
If youre wondering how to store and freeze cheesecake: Frozen Cheesecake can last for a few months. To freeze, place the cooled cheesecake on the baking pan and freeze, uncovered until it is firm. Then wrap in foil and place in a freezer bag. Seal the freezer bag and place back into the freezer. To consume, thaw the cheesecake, uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.
How Long Does Cheesecake Last
You can prepare the cheesecake up to three days before you plan to serve it. Keep it in the springform mold, covered, and refrigerated until serving time. Wait to add the sour cream or any other topping until serving.
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for about five days.
You can also freeze cheesecake for up to a month for the best flavor.
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Read The Recipe Before You Start
As with all recipes, I really recommend reading the recipe all the way through before you start.
The recipe does have a few steps, but when you read the recipe in full first and understand the steps, you will have no problems at all. You also then know what to expect further in the recipe so shouldnt have any surprises.
Also if you dont read the recipe all the way through you will probably miss the part about leaving the cheesecake to chill for eight hours or overnight before adding the topping!
Personally I dont think cheesecakes are the easiest desserts to make so I would definitely recommend reading this all the way though so you know what is expected.
How To Freeze Cheesecake
This is another question that I get very often and freezing cheesecake is actually very easy.
No matter which cheesecake you are trying to freeze, make sure to freeze it WITHOUT topping or frosting. Toppings and frostings can be added after the cheesecake has been thawed.
You can freeze cheesecake right on the bottom of the springform pan or you can take it off the pan and transfer it onto an aluminum foil covered cardboard.
Once cheesecake has been cooled to room temperature, run a butter knife along the inside of the springform pan to separate the cheesecake from the pan. Place the pan with cheesecake in the freezer and freeze for about an hour.
Then, carefully take off the side portion of the springform. At this point, you can either keep the bottom of the springform with the cheesecake or transfer it onto a piece of thick cardboard cake holder covered with aluminum foil.
Wrap cheesecake and the bottom of the pan with plastic wrap, in 2-3 layers. Then, wrap the whole thing with aluminum foil. As an added protection from air, you can place the whole things in a large, zip-lock freezer bag, but that not necessary.
Make sure to date and label before placing cheesecake back in the freezer.
Cheesecake will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.
To thaw frozen cheesecake, make sure to do it slowly. Place cheesecake from freezer into the refrigerator and slow-thaw overnight.
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Ricotta Cheesecake With Fresh Raspberries
With cream cheese, ricotta cheese and a ground almond crust, the cake is a hybrid between an American & Italian-style cheesecake.
Doesnt this cheesecake look like it belongs in an Italian pastry shop window? The recipe was inspired by the Obsessive Ricotta Cheesecake in Gina DePalmas Dolce Italiano, Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen, one of the best cookbooks Ive come across in a long, long time.
Made with cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and a ground almond crust, the cake is a hybrid between an American-style cheesecake and an Italian-style cheesecake. The fruit topping is my addition the tart sweetness of the jam and fresh raspberries is the perfect contrast to the cake, which isnt overly sweet.
The best part is that its easy to make: unlike most cheesecakes, you dont have to worry about the top cracking because it all gets covered with fruit anyway.
How To Make New York Cheesecake
To make this cheesecake, you will need a springform baking pan, large roasting pan, and a mixer.
Before making the cheesecake, prepare the pan by wrapping outside of the pan in aluminum foil. Many springform pans, especially ones that have been used quite a bit, have a chance of leaking water inside. Wrapping the springform in foil will help keep water out.
Although, there is a chance that a small amount of water will leak in, this will NOT ruin the cheesecake.
To prepare the crust:
Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and mix very well.
Spray inside of the springform pan with some cooking spray, making sure you get the sides too.
Spread crumb mixture in the bottom on the prepared springform, evenly pressing it over the bottom and a little up the sides.
To prepare cheesecake filling:
In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy. I give it a good 2-3 minutes of beating to get is soft and smooth. Scrape sides and bottom on the bowl and beat for another minute.
Pour in sugar while beating and add eggs, one at a time. Beat it until smooth. Stop to scrape bottom and sides of the bowl.
Add sour cream, vanilla extract, and heavy cream and beat, still on medium-high speed, until all mixed very well.
Lower the speed and beat in corn starch. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for a few more seconds to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
To bake the cheesecake:
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Preparing The Graham Cracker Crust
My preferred pan, an eight- by four-inch loose bottom style, doesn’t require any prep, but I do like to line the bottom piece with foil. Later on, when the cheesecake has been un-molded, a gentle tug on the foil will expose a nice gap between the cake itself and the pan. This makes it easy to slip an offset spatula underneath, to lift and transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate .
When it comes to cheesecake, I’m all about a graham cracker crust. The use of cookie crumbs for a cheesecake crust dates all the way back to 1928, making it a perfectly traditional option despite what some purists may claim. I mean, if you don’t like it, that’s one thing! But with over 90 years of established use, let’s not pretend the graham cracker crust isn’t a legitimate option.
If you have my cookbook, along with the time and inclination, the crust offers a perfect excuse to whip up a batch of homemade graham crackers. If they don’t turn out aesthetically perfect, who cares? You’ll grind them to crumbs, and have experienced a low-key chance to play with the graham technique. The effort-to-reward ratio here pays off for sure, as their graham flavor is particularly bold. Plus, the grahams can be made as far in advance as you like. They keep for weeks at room temperature, and even longer in the freezer.
What Is The Difference Between New York Cheesecake And Regular
Not all cheesecakes are created equal. Some are no bake, some are creamier, some are denser, some are loaded with mix-ins, and some are intentionally burnt. OK that last one is pretty uniquecheck out my Basque Burnt Cheesecake to see what I mean!
But for a New York style cheesecake, it has a couple characteristics that make it a stand-out cheesecake. One major sign of a good New York cheesecake is the texture. Its dense, rich and heavy which is why its tough to have more than one slice.
The reason why its so rich is due to the amount of cream cheese used in the cheesecake. Regular cheesecake relies on heavy cream and sour cream to thin the batter and create a silkier, creamier texture. New York cheesecake is heavy on the cream cheese which is why its so dense and rich.
Extra cream cheese isnt the only thing that makes New York cheesecake so special. It also includes extra eggs and egg yolks to provide and smooth consistency. The egg also helps to bind together the cheesecake, giving it that tight texture.
New York style cheesecake is also always baked and contains very simple ingredients. Its a no-frills cheesecake that packs a punch in flavor and texture. The distinct flavor can be attributed to the bit of sour cream and fresh lemon juice, giving it a slight tang.
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What To Do If Your Cheesecake Cracks
Cracks that show up as soon as the cheesecake is done are a sign that your cheesecake is a bit over-baked or that you skipped the water bath. Cracks that show up after cooling are a sign that your cheesecake cooled a little too quickly.
But cracks aren’t a sign of failure, nor do they mean that your cheesecake won’t taste good. They’re mostly cosmetic. Covering the surface of the cheesecake with sour cream or another topping will do a fine job of hiding them.
How To Store Homemade Cheesecake
Store leftover cheesecake well covered in the refrigerator. Enjoy it within 5 days for best freshness. You can also freeze this cheesecake for about 2 months if you wrap your slices individually with plastic wrap!
- Cook Time:3 hours 10 minutes
- Total Time:3 hours 55 minutes
- Yield:12-14
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
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How To Make A Water Bath
Place the 9-inch springform pan in a 10-inch cake pan, then place the cake pan in a roasting pan and fill the roasting pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the cake pan. I like to place the pan in the oven and use a kettle to pour the hot water in then. This prevents ANY water from getting in the cheesecake and you don’t have to wrap everything with foil.
Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes, the middle 3 inches of the cheesecake should jiggle just a little bit. I like to use my Thermapen MK4 instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature is 125-135F- keep in mind when you poke the cheesecake it will leave a hole. You can cover with fresh whipped cream or a few berries in the center to cover it. Cheesecake is normally baked to 150F, so stopping at this lower temp before you warm the oven up helps prevent you over baking it. Now when the cheesecake has reached the temperature/ stage turn the oven up to 500F/260C and leave the cheesecake in to continue cooking, this will darken the top of the cheesecake. The cheesecake can darken really quickly depending on the oven so I would start checking after 7 minutes or so, my cheesecakes usually take 15-18 minutes.
To me browning the cheesecake is what gives it that iconic New York Cheesecake look.
When you are ready to serve, or prep it for a party use an offset spatula to gently loosen the sides of the cheesecake from the springform pan then release the sides.