Recipe details

New York cheesecake

New York cheesecake

Tarta de queso de Nueva York

Medium

Contains allergens

Cereales con glutenLecheHuevos

Incomplete allergen information: some ingredients have not been reviewed yet. Always check the labels before cooking.

Preparation time
3 hr
Servings
12

Summary

The cheesecake of New York diners: dense, creamy and smooth on a crisp biscuit base. Baked in a water bath at a moderate temperature so it stays even and crack-free.

Ingredients

12 servings
Add to Bring!
  • 3 tablespoons Wheat flour
  • 80 g Butter (melted, plus extra for the tin)
  • 4 u Egg (large, at room temperature)
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 200 g Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 200 g digestive biscuits (or graham crackers)
  • 200 g Sour Cream
  • 900 g Cream Cheese (full-fat, at room temperature)

Instructions

  1. Take the cream cheese, eggs and soured cream out of the fridge 1 to 2 hours ahead: if they're cold, the mixture turns lumpy. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Butter a 23 cm springform tin and wrap the outside in two layers of heavy-duty foil, bringing it well up the sides.

  2. Blitz the biscuits to fine crumbs and mix with the melted butter. Press firmly into the base of the tin with the bottom of a glass and bake for 10 minutes. Leave to cool and lower the oven to 160 °C. Put the kettle on.

    15 min

  3. Beat the cream cheese with the sugar, flour and salt on low speed until smooth, scraping down the bowl with a spatula. Don't increase the speed: you don't want to beat in air.

    4 min

  4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating only until each one disappears. Add the soured cream, vanilla, lemon zest and juice and mix just enough to combine.

    4 min

  5. Pour the filling over the base and tap the tin on the worktop to bring up any bubbles. Set the tin in a deep roasting tin and pour in boiling water to come halfway up its sides.

    3 min

  6. Bake until the edges are set and the centre still wobbles like jelly in a circle about 8 cm across. The top should not brown.

    70 min

  7. Turn off the oven, prop the door ajar and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour so it cools gradually.

    60 min

  8. Lift the tin out of the water, remove the foil and run a thin knife between the cheesecake and the ring. Leave to cool completely on a rack, then chill for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight, before unmoulding.

  9. Slice with a long knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts.

    2 min

Notes

It was born in New York delis in the early 20th century, when cream cheese was already a local product, and it has nothing to do with the Basque burnt cheesecake, which is baked hot and without a base. Cracks usually come from overbeating (which adds air), overbaking or sudden changes in temperature; that's why it cools slowly in the oven. If you're worried about water seeping in, sit the tin inside a slightly larger cake tin instead of wrapping it. It keeps covered in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes well, whole or in slices, for up to 2 months; thaw it in the fridge. It's lovely with macerated strawberries or a berry sauce.

More information

Guide indicatorsDifficulty, quality and data reliability

Guide indicators

Estimated difficulty71/100
Recipe completeness60/100
Nutrition reliability
High

Calculated automatically from the ingredients, steps, time and community feedback. They are not a guarantee.

StorageKeeps 4 days in the fridge
Cuisine: AmericanKeeps 4 days in the fridgeFreezer friendly

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