New York Cheesecake
New York style cheesecake – incredibly creamy, vanilla-flavored, minimalistic yet full of character, is a class of its own. It’s gaining popularity worldwide for good reason. Although it may seem exclusive, it’s incredibly easy to prepare. If you’re looking for a change from the classic cheesecake for the holidays or want to impress your mother-in-law or partner, you have to bake this classic New York cheesecake.
How to make a cheesecake fluffy and moist? How to bake a perfectly creamy cheesecake?
Firstly, the cheese. It must be full fat. There are no shortcuts; to be creamy, it can’t be light. Secondly, a water bath. It ensures the cheesecake doesn’t dry out, bakes too quickly, rises too much, and collapses. Don’t worry, you don’t need a steam oven. Just a baking sheet filled with hot water placed on the lower rack of the oven, and that’s it! These two factors determine whether your cheesecake will be delicate and melt-in-your-mouth or dry and crumbly. Simple, like I said.
What’s the difference between New York cheesecake and regular cheesecake?
The most popular Polish cheesecake is made with a shortcrust pastry, often topped with icing, sometimes with raisins (controversial 😅). It’s baked without a water bath.
New York cheesecake has a cookie base. It’s significantly creamier, thanks to being baked in a water bath. It’s slightly tart due to the addition of sour cream. Instead of icing, it’s topped with sour cream and powdered sugar frosting, which is usually baked.
What cheese is best for New York cheesecake?
Philadelphia cheese is the most popular on foreign blogs, but let’s be honest, it’s quite expensive and hard to find in Poland. You should look for it in large supermarkets rather than discount stores. I always use cheese from a cheesecake bucket with a MINIMUM 18% FAT CONTENT. This is very important. The fattier the cheese, the creamier the cheesecake. For this recipe, I used 24% fat cheese (Deluxe from Lidl) and it turned out great! The cheesecake turned out perfectly creamy! I usually use 18% fat cheese from Piątnica for New York-style cheesecakes, and I highly recommend it. Because the cheese is full-fat, there’s no need to add butter.
What biscuits to use for New York cheesecake?
You can use any dry biscuits, meaning no chocolate or frosting. I most often use digestives biscuits. They’re available in every supermarket and discount store. These are whole-grain biscuits, slightly salty, giving them a distinctive flavor. I always add a little salt to the biscuits anyway. The contrast of the salty base highlights the sweetness and creaminess of the cheese filling.
Why add sour cream to cheesecake?
Sour cream makes the cheesecake moister and lighter (texture). It also adds the acidity characteristic of New York cheesecake. This makes the cake not as sweet, and even refreshing. It feels light. If you don’t like the tartness of cheesecake, you can substitute the sour cream with sweet cream. This is an option for those with a real sweet tooth.
Should you add lemon juice to New York cheesecake?
Some people add lemon juice or even lemon zest to cheesecake. However, for me, the sourness from the cream is enough. When it comes to lemon flavor, I prefer a cheesecake with a hint of vanilla. Therefore, I don’t flavor New York cheesecake with lemon zest. If you prefer a citrusy note in your New York cheesecake, you can use lemon zest or juice.
The following proportions make a cheesecake weighing approximately 2.5 kg and measuring approximately 27 cm in diameter.
Read the step-by-step recipe for how to make the best New York cheesecake with sour cream frosting and watch the video below.
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Are you a cheesecake fan? Check out my other recipes for just as creamy cheesecake, such as truffle cheesecake or cinnamon cheesecake.
New York Cheesecake
Video
New York Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Crust
- 250 g biscuits (e.g. digestives)
- 50 g butter (melted)
- salt
Cheese mix
- 1 kg cheese (min. 18% fat)
- 200 g sour cream 18%
- 250 g sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla sugar
- 4 eggs
Frosting
- 400 g sour cream 18%
- 100 g powdered sugar
Instructions
- Remove all ingredients from the refrigerator in advance to bring them to room temperature.Crush the biscuits. Add melted butter and salt, and mix. Spread the buttery crumbs on a cake tin lined with parchment paper. Press the crumbs firmly into the crust with your hand or a glass. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (
350 °F) for 5 minutes.250 g biscuits, 50 g butter, salt
- Place the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and begin beating on medium speed. Once combined, begin adding the eggs one at a time. Once all the ingredients are combined, turn off the mixer. Do not over-beat.1 kg cheese, 200 g sour cream 18%, 250 g sugar, 2 tsp vanilla sugar, 4 eggs
- Pour the cheesecake filling onto the pre-baked and cooled crust. Smooth with a spatula and bake in an oven preheated to 120°C (250 °F) for about 40 minutes in a water bath or steam bath (simply place a baking sheet on the lower rack of the oven and pour about 1.5 liters of hot water – a whole kettle into it).
- After 40 minutes, turn off the oven, but don't open it! After about 5 minutes, slightly ajar the oven. Meanwhile, prepare the icing. Add powdered sugar and heavy cream to the mixer bowl. Beat on high speed for about 3 minutes.About 10 minutes after turning off the oven, open the oven door and spread the icing over the cheesecake using a spatula. Then close the door again and bake for about 5 minutes at 120-140°C (250-280 °F). After this time, slightly ajar the door again. After a few minutes, you can open the door fully. After another few minutes, you can remove the cheesecake from the oven and set it on the counter to cool completely. Refrigerate the cooled cheesecake for at least a few hours before removing it from the pan. Ideally, overnight. Enjoy!400 g sour cream 18%, 100 g powdered sugar
Nutrition
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet