"I was perfectly happy with the classic rendition of cheesecake I grew up with, until 1985, when I moved to New York City and tasted New York cheesecake for the first time. I remember walking around the city, seeing these cheesecakes in deli and bakery windows with what seemed to be no crust and a beautifully browned top. The unadorned, organic look of those cakes with their mottled tops really appealed to me. They looked almost like wheels of baked cheese. After I tasted one, I discovered that not only did it look like cheese, it also tasted more like cheese. It's less creamy and drier than the classic cheesecake I grew up with, and I liked that."
- Nancy Silverton
This isn't my first time around the block with New York cheesecake, but it was our first time using this cookbook to make it. It was also our first cheesecake not using Philadelphia cream cheese. When in Rome...
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On this particular episode of Making Da Cheesecake, Kat learned how to make a classic New York cheesecake, though maybe not as tall as the one you're familiar with.
This shorter, more portable version is just the right size for us and tastes exactly the way it should - not too creamy and none of that fancy shit that masks the quality of the cake. This NY cheesecake is super simple to make and definitely not a diet food.
Would I walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn for a piece? No doubt, and probably not a bad idea.
The Cookie That Changed My Life
This New York cheesecake comes from The Cookie That Changed My Life and More Than 100 Other Classic Cakes, Cookies, Muffins, and Pies That Will Change Yours by Nancy Silverton.
You need to use Philadelphia brand cream cheese (or something similar) for this, one that comes in a block, wrapped in foil. Traditional New York cheesecake is very tall, but I don't like tall cakes. If you do, increase this batter by one-third and bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes. To achieve the golden-brown top that I love in a New York cheesecake, I bake the cake twice: once in a bain-marie (water bath) to set the filling; then the cake is chilled and baked again to brown the top.
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New York Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
- eggs - 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks
- cream cheese - blocks of cream cheese, not tubs
- butter - unsalted for best results
- crème fraiche
- sugar
- potato starch - you can also use cornstarch if that's what you have on hand
- vanilla - pure vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract will work
- salt - kosher salt, Diamond Crystal is recommended
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Equipment
- prep bowls
- whisk or fork
- spoonula
- measuring spoon
- kitchen scale
- stand mixer
- Dutch oven or large saucepan
- pie dish
- roasting pan
Whisk the Eggs
Wash your hands with soap and water. Crack 2 eggs into a bowl. Separate 2 eggs and add the egg yolks to the bowl. Wash your hands. Use a whisk or fork to combine.
Combine the Cream Cheese & Butter
Cut the cream cheese into cubes. Add it to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter to the mixing bowl. Beat on medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes, until it is soft.
Add the Eggs
Drizzle in the eggs. Beat on medium-low speed until it is all incorporated. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
Add the Crème Fraiche
Add the crème fraiche and beat on low for 10 seconds, or until smooth.
Add the Sugar, Potato Starch, Vanilla, & Salt
Use a kitchen scale to weigh the sugar needed. Add it to the mixing bowl. Use measuring spoons to add the potato starch, vanilla, and salt. Beat for 30 seconds to combine. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Set up the Bain-Marie
Boil some water in a large pot. Turn off the stove when finished. Transfer the cheesecake batter to a pie dish and smooth it out with a spatula. Pour the hot water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the pie dish. You've now made a bain-marie.
Bake the NY Cheesecake
Carefully transfer the roasting pan with the pie dish to the oven. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the edges of the cake are set and the surface moves together when jiggled. Rotate the bain-marie as needed. Turn off the oven when finished.
Let the cake cool in the bain-marie. Remove the dish, dry it, cover with plastic, and refrigerate overnight or for several hours.
Bake it Again
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the plastic wrap from the cheesecake. Place it on the center rack of the oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Turn off the oven when finished. Let the New York cheesecake cool completely before serving.
Top Tip
To make every slice look like your favorite dessert tray or bakery case, Nancy says to slice the cheesecake with a large knife and wipe it with a warm, wet towel between cuts.
free recipe!
New York Cheesecake
A shorter, more portable version of a classic New York cheesecake.
Grab your free printable recipe cards above. Kids can gather ingredients using the ingredient list, gather their equipment with the tools list, and prepare the meal using the step-by-step recipe cards, with assistance as needed.
The cards are easy to use, include pictures, and encourage confidence and independence in the kitchen. They also make an excellent addition to your Montessori continent box for North America.
Montessori Continent Boxes
Explore every continent with these solid maple hardwood boxes.
New York Cheesecake
Equipment
- Whisk
- Dutch Oven or large saucepan
- Plastic Wrap
Ingredients
- 2 eggs extra-large
- 2 egg yolks
- 21 oz cream cheese cubed, room temperature
- 5 tablespoon unsalted butter room temperature until pliable but not greasy
- 1 ⅓ cups crème fraiche or sour cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon potato starch
- 1 teaspoon potato starch
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt Diamond Crystal preferred
Instructions
- Whisk the Eggs: Wash your hands with soap and water. Crack 2 eggs into a bowl. Separate 2 eggs and add the egg yolks to the bowl. Wash your hands. Use a whisk or fork to combine.
- Combine the Cream Cheese & Butter: Cut the cream cheese into cubes. Add it to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter to the mixing bowl. Beat on medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes, until it is soft.
- Add the Eggs: Drizzle in the eggs. Beat on medium-low speed until it is all incorporated. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Add the Crème Fraiche: Add the crème fraiche and beat on low for 10 seconds, or until smooth.
- Add the Sugar, Potato Starch, Vanilla, & Salt: Use a kitchen scale to weigh the sugar needed. Add it to the mixing bowl. Use measuring spoons to add the potato starch, vanilla, and salt. Beat for 30 seconds to combine. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Set up the Bain-Marie: Boil some water in a large pot. Turn off the stove when finished. Transfer the cheesecake batter to a pie dish and smooth it out with a spatula. Pour the hot water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the pie dish. You've now made a bain-marie.
- Bake the NY Cheesecake: Carefully transfer the roasting pan with the pie dish to the oven. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the edges of the cake are set and the surface moves together when jiggled. Rotate the bain-marie as needed. Turn off the oven when finished. Let the cake cool in the bain-marie. Remove the dish, dry it, cover with plastic, and refrigerate overnight or for several hours.
- Bake it Again: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the plastic wrap from the cheesecake. Place it on the center rack of the oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Turn off the oven when finished. Let the New York cheesecake cool completely before serving.To make every slice look like your favorite dessert tray or bakery case, Nancy says to slice the cheesecake with a large knife and wipe it with a warm, wet towel between cuts.
Notes
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
- See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
- Full Lesson Info and Pictures at: https://happyhomeschooladventures.com/new-york-cheesecake
Nutrition
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
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