New York Cheesecake

Authentic New York cheesecake and I should know…I hail from Brooklyn, NY (where Junior’s is located and went to college right by there–shameless plug for Brooklyn Poly, now Polytechnic Institute of NYU).

Can be topped with anything you like. Here I used some strawberry pie filling. This cheesecake is creamy from stem to stern. The reason is it is baked in a waterbath. Why a waterbath? Cheesecake is not a cake at all but a custard! The waterbath produces the desired texture. Original recipe is from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s “The Cake Bible.”

Here’s the ingredients we used (some aren’t shown in photo for space sake), and you will need an 8-inch springform pan, bottom lined with baker’s parchment, and a large roasting pan for waterbath baking~

Rub a little butter on the base of the springform pan so the circle of parchment you cut to fit it will adhere~

Cut the parchment to fit the base and line base, making sure it sticks~

Prepare pan by wrapping in a double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent seepage. Spray pan sides and parchment liner with non-stick spray~

Put cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch (if using) in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, preferably with wire whisk beater attached. Beat well, scraping down the sides~

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each; scrape down sides~

Add fresh lemon juice and vanilla. Blend in well~

Add sour cream and blend well; scrape down sides and beat mixture well~

Here is what the finished batter will look like~

Pour into prepared pan which will be set in a larger roasting pan filled with 1-inch of very hot water. Set the pan in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 45 minutes. When baking time is up, shut off the oven but leave the cheesecake in the oven (do not open oven door) for one hour!~

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours~

Unmold cheesecake by running a wet knife around the edge then releasing the spring of the pan’s collar. Invert onto a plate; remove the pan’s base then re-invert onto serving plate. Top with desired topping (I used prepared strawberry pie filling on this one). Cake is great served au naturel too~

Here’s a great tip for storage–use a large Lock & Lock bowl upside down, using the lid as the cake plate. The bowl will form the dome. Good for cakes that are fragile and must be refrigerated~

The Recipe

New York Cheesecake

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

Author: Judith Hannemann

Serves: 12

Ingredients

2-8oz packages cream cheese (do not use non-fat*)
1 cup sugar
1 tbs cornstarch (optional)
3 large eggs (or 6 egg yolks**)
3 tbs. freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1½ tsp vanilla
3 cups sour cream (do not use non-fat*)

Instructions

Have all ingredients at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8-inch springform pan as follows: line the base with parchment to fit. Wrap the entire pan in a double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Spray entire inside of pan with non-stick spray.
Beat cream cheese, sugar & cornstarch (if using) using wire whisk attachment of mixer. Blend well, scrape down sides and beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add lemon juice and vanilla; blend well. Add sour cream and stir to blend. Scrape down sides and beat well.
Set prepared springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour batter into pan. Set pan in oven and fill roasting pan with 1-inch of very hot water. Bake for 45 min. Do not remove cake from the oven. Turn off oven and let cheesecake sit in the oven for one hour. Remove cake from oven and cool to room temperature. Unmold on serving plate. Top with desired topping.
*Non-fat products will not result in anything that remotely resembles a cheesecake. It will turn out as a clotted MESS. I know; I tried it. You can probably use reduced fat products, but it probably won't taste the same. My credo is "always eat the real thing, just eat less."
**Using egg yolks will result in a richer, firmer cheesecake. If you use yolks, do not use the cornstarch as cake will not seep.

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New York Cheesecake