New York Cheesecake
| Ingredient | 9-inch Cake | 23cm Cake |
|---|---|---|
| Cheesecake | ||
| cream cheese | 1½ lbs. | 680g |
| sugar | 1 cup | 210g |
| flour | 2 Tbsp. | 2 Tbsp. |
| whole egg | 3 | 3 |
| egg yolk | 1 | 1 |
| heavy whipping cream | 3 Tbsp. | 3 Tbsp. |
| dark rum | 1½ Tbsp. | 1½ Tbsp. |
| lemon juice | 2 Tbsp. | 2 Tbsp. |
| Crust | ||
| graham cracker | 5 oz. | 140g |
| butter | 4 Tbsp. | 60g |
Based on the most decadent recipe in The Joy of Cheesecake, this deep-dish delight is baked long and low to achieve a dense texture and a cake so delicious we halted our search for the ultimate New York style cheesecake when we tried it. The heavy texture is offset by a brightness from lemon juice, and a hint of rum adds a complexity to the slow-baked flavor. It’s not a quick cheesecake to make, but every bit worth the time and effort.
Preparation
- Set the eggs and cream cheese out to let them come to room temperature.
Directions
- Prepare crust.
Put the graham crackers in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to pound them into a relatively fine powder. Melt the butter in a small microwavable bowl, add the mashed graham crackers, and mix thoroughly. Turn the plastic bag inside out and use it to press the mixture into the bottom of a 9" (23cm) springform cake pan. Put the pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling. - Whip cheese and sugar.
In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese until it is fluffy. Add sugar and flour and mix until smooth. - Beat in eggs.
Add the eggs one at a time, then the yolk, beating after each until well mixed. - Mix in remaining ingredients.
Add lemon juice and dark rum and beat until well mixed. Add the heavy cream and mix briefly, just enough to incorporate it. - Triple-Bake.
Pour the mixture into the prepared crust pan. Begin baking it at 475°F (245°C) for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, turn the oven down to 200°F (95°C) and let it continue to bake for 50 minutes. Finally, turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door closed for another 60 minutes. - Cool and chill.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it finish cooling to room temperature, then transfer it to the refrigerator to chill.
Notes
- While you can eat it as soon as it’s chilled, cheesecakes taste noticeably better if they sit in the refrigerator overnight; the flavors mellow and mature.
- As with most cheesecakes, the quality of the finished product owes quite a bit to the quality of the basic ingredients that go into it. While Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese is the standby, we prefer the softer, creamier Nancy’s, which comes in a tub instead of a brick (and is available organic for not a lot extra). Good eggs also make a difference.
- Because of the long baking time and slow cooling process, this cheesecake is more resistant to cracking than most. Not that there’s anything wrong with it if it does.
- You can substitute your favorite from-scratch cheesecake crust for graham cracker; chocolate wafers or vanilla snaps are two obvious choices.