HotmailPerfect cheesecake recipe takes the cake
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The Perfect Cheesecake
Baking is tricky business, and deviating from accepted standards can be risky. As such, this recipe, tailored for a moderate sweetness and thick, creamy texture, closely tracks New York cheesecake recipes found in “The Joy of Cooking” and “The 125 Best Cheesecakes.”
- 40 oz (5 packages) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 ½ c sugar
- 3 T. all-purpose flour
- 1 t vanilla
- ½ t grated lemon or orange zest (optional)
- 5 eggs at room temperature
- 2 egg yolks at room temperature
- ½ c heavy cream at room temperature
- 1 baked cheesecake crust (see below)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Bring cream cheese and eggs to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
3. Bring heavy cream to room temperature. (Measure out the amount first and set it on the counter just as you begin making the batter; it should be room temperature by the time you need it.)
4. In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until creamy, 30-60 seconds.
5. Scrape bowl and begin to gradually add in sugar, scraping sides of bowl and beating until smooth and fluffy.
6. Beat in flour and, if using, citrus zest.
7. One by one, add in eggs and egg yolks, beating just until blended after each addition.
8. Mix in vanilla and cream.
9. Pour batter into baked and cooled crust, running batter over back of spatula so that the mixture spreads evenly in the pan.
10. Tap pan against countertop a few times to settle air bubbles in the batter.
11. Place in pre-heated oven; make sure temperature really is 500 on the oven thermometer.
12. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
13. Turn oven down to 200 degrees. Bake for 60 minutes longer.
14. Bake until edges are dry and center looks damp and slightly more jiggly than Jell-o.
15. Turn oven off, leave door ajar 1-4”, and let the cake cool in the oven for at least one hour.
16. Remove to a rack and let cake cool completely to room temperature
17. Remove springform sides of pan.
18. Cover and refrigerate for up to two days.
19. Top with: fresh fruit, sour cream, fresh lemon peel, glazes. (see one suggestion, below.)
Shortbread Cookie Crust
- 5 oz plain shortbread cookies (You do not need to add butter; there’s enough in the cookies already.)
1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2. Put cookies in ziploc bag; press out extra air and seal bag.
3. Using rolling pin, crush cookies to very fine crumbs.
4. Measure out 1 ¼ cups of crumbs, and pour into 9” springform pan.
5. Using the flat bottom of a glass, press the mixture over the bottom of the pan, spreading crumbs evenly.
6. Bake crust until lightly browned and firm to the touch, 10-15 minutes.
7. Cool before adding filling.
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 package of graham crackers from 14.4. ounce box
- ¼ c unsalted butter, melted
- 3 T sugar
8. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
9. Put crackers in ziploc bag; press out extra air and seal bag.
10. Using rolling pin, crush cookies to very fine crumbs.
11. Measure out 1 ¼ cups of crumbs, and mix in small bowl with butter and sugar.
12. Pour into 9” springform pan.
13. Using the flat bottom of a glass, press the mixture over the bottom of the pan, spreading crumbs evenly.
14. Bake crust until lightly browned and firm to the touch, 10-15 minutes.
15. Cool before adding filling.
Easy, Fancy Caramel Apple Topping
The easiest way to get over a cracked cheesecake? Cover it up with a simple topping. My family always used sour cream topped with pie filling, but this autumnal treat takes all of 15 minutes to make, uses fresh ingredients you likely have around already, and looks phenomenal. Just don’t apply the glaze more than 6 hours in advance—otherwise, it will start to melt and become runny.
- 1 apple
- Juice from ½ lemon
- 2/3 c sugar
- 1 stick cinnamon or 1/8 t cinnamon
- ¼ c water
1. Cut apple into quarters, then cut the core out of each quarter.
2. Cut each quarter into thin slices.
3. Toss in small bowl with lemon juice (this will help them stay white, instead of turning brown.)
4. Arrange apples on top of cheesecake as desired; most common is a sort of “pinwheel” or “flower” pattern in the center.
5. Place a large bowl filled with cold water near the stove.
6. Place sugar and cinnamon in small saucepan.
7. Drizzle with water.
8. Set sugar over medium heat, and without stirring, gently swirl pan by handle until syrup clarifies.
9. DO NOT LET the syrup boil before it is clear; remove from heat as necessary to achieve this.
10. Once syrup clears, increase the heat to high and bring to rolling boil.
11. Cover tightly and boil for 2 minutes.
12. Uncover pan and cook until syrup begins to darken.
13. Remove cinnamon stick.
14. Swirl lightly by handle and cook until syrup turns brown.
15. Moving quickly, dip bottom of saucepan in the cold water to stop the syrup from cooking.
16. In a thin stream, immediately pour over apples and top of cake. You must move quickly—the candy will begin to harden as soon as it cools. Mixture will bubble and froth, but will calm down to create a glass-smooth glaze.
Tracie McMillan is a Brooklyn-based writer who covers food and social issues.
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