New York Cheesecake

Favorite Cheesecake Recipe

Restaurant Dessert Recipe

A New York Cheesecake Recipe can be a controversial subject in the culinary world.

There are dozens and dozens of kinds of cheesecakes around the world, each somewhat different in terms of ingredients and baking technique and named for the particular area or country to reflect the most common way of making a cheesecake in that area.

In general, cheesecakes can be made of ricotta cheese, Neufchâtel, Havarti, Mizithra cheese and Mascarpone cheese, tangy cottage cheese and quark.

But most commonly in America they are made with cream cheese.

Other ingredients such as sugar, eggs, cream, honey and fruit are often mixed in as well.

Cheesecake is one of the most common tart-like or custard-like desserts and one of the oldest desserts containing cheese.

So we have American cheesecakes, and within America - New York-style cheesecake ....

New York-style cheesecake typically has heavy cream and/or cream cheese, eggs and egg yolks to add richness.

American cheesecakes generally rely on cream cheese, invented in 1872 as an alternative to French Neufchâtel. And when pasteurized in 1912, Philadelphia cream cheese became the top product for making cheesecakes in America.

Cheesecakes have a tendency to "crack" when cooled. There are various explanations for this and methods to attempt to prevent the cracking but for this restaurant recipe - don't worry about it. The Sour Cream Topping will take care of any cracking that may occur. Cracking does not affect the taste, fortunately.

New York Cheesecake
with Sour Cream Topping

Favorite Restaurant Dessert Recipe

Preparation Time: 40 minutes, but long cooling times. Serves 12

Ingredients for New York Cheesecake:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 pound melted butter
• 1 pound softened cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 6 egg whites
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Ingredients for Sour Cream Topping:

• 1 1/3 cups sour cream
• 1/3 cup sugar

Instructions For New York Cheesecake:

• Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and place evenly in the bottom of a 10 inch round spring form pan
  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 7 minutes and let cool
• Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F
• Blend cream cheese, egg yolks, sugar and 1/4 cup sour cream until creamy
• In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until firm and then fold into cream cheese mixture
• Pour mixture into the spring form pan over crumbs
  
• Bake at 300 degrees F for one hour to one hour 15 minutes, until top is lightly browned
• Let cool in refrigerator for 8 hours

Remember, do not be alarmed if cracks appear on the top after baking. They are characteristic of this recipe.

Instructions for Sour Cream Topping:

• Combine 1 1/3 cup sour cream and 1/3 cup sugar and beat until smooth

Instructions to Finish New York Cheesecake

• Before topping baked cheesecake, place plastic wrap on top of cheesecake and press until cheesecake is flat and smooth
• Remove plastic wrap and spread sour cream mixture over the top of the cheesecake
• Bake for 10 minutes at 300 degrees F (Do not let brown)
• Cool in refrigerator for 2-3 hours

TA-DA! It's ready to serve and enjoy.

To Serve New York Cheesecake:

• When ready to serve, loosen edge of cheesecake with knife and push up along the edges of the bottom of pan before removing the side of the pan
• Score the top of the New York Cheesecake with a knife by marking it in half with the knife, then into fourths and then each fourth into three servings (wipe the knife each time with paper towels or a kitchen towel
• To cut the cheesecake, run the knife under hot water, wipe with paper towels, place tip of knife at the top of the piece you are cutting, push downward and then cut through the rest of the piece, wiping the knife after each cut
• Repeat cutting process until all servings are sliced or only slice the number of servings you need immediately.

Enjoy your restaurant dessert recipe for this delicious New York Cheesecake and the company of those you share it with!

Donna

“Just because you don’t live near a bakery doesn’t mean you have to go without cheesecake.”

Hedy Lamarr