New York-Style Baked Cheesecake
It might seem slightly daunting seeing the length of this recipe today but this baked cheesecake is so fabulous it's worth foregoing the mix and chill type cheesecakes just once and trying this baked New York-Style Cheesecake.
Step-son Dan adores this cheesecake & it's become a must have for not only his birthday yesterday but for all special occasions.
The following recipe was first published in Martha Stewart Living Magazine in May 2004. I've kept it pretty much the same, only reducing the oven temperature & increasing the vanilla.
The cheesecake tin used in the magazine is larger than the Australian standard, I used a 22cm (8.5in) springform cheesecake tin which leaves enough filling to make 12 cupcakes in silicone moulds. If you do have the 10 inch springform tin used in the magazine you can bake one large cheesecake, increase baking time by 15-20 minutes.
Due to conversion Aussie's will have leftover cream cheese & sour cream.
Wobble
There is many cheesecake making & baking tips like making sure your ingredients are at room temperature, not over beating once the egg is added, baking in a water bath, but I think the one to remember is the "wobble". Regardless what size pan you are using what you are looking for is the sides to be set & centre still wobbly, turn off the oven at this point for the perfect cheesecake!
The all important "wobbly center" zone
Starting with the pastry base from the magazine, but by all means substitute with your favourite biscuit/cracker crust if desired.
Vanilla pastry base
Ingredients
113g (1 stick US) unsalted butter softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
3/4 cup plain flour (all-purpose)
pinch of salt
Method
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter & sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy; about 3-4 minutes.
butter & sugar before beating
after beating; what "light & fluffy" looks like
Mix in egg yolk & vanilla then add flour and salt & mix until just combined.
Shape dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes.
dough ready to chill
Roll out dough 3/4 of the dough between non-stick baking mats or baking paper until you have an 8cm circle. Lift the mat/paper and flip dough onto the base of your cheesecake tin. Attach the sides of the cheesecake tin & wrap the exterior (including base) with a double layer of foil.
springform cheesecake tin wrapped in double layer of foil
Preheat oven to 180cel (350F) Freeze dough in the pan for 15 minutes. Place tin on a bake tray and bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown, set aside to cool.
Divide the remaining 1/4 of the dough between *12 silicone cupcake cases, using your fingers to press down dough on the base of the cups.
Bake base for 7 to 8 minutes or until set. Set tin on a rack to cool.
Place cupcake cases on top of a baking tray and bake for 7-9 minutes or until golden brown. Leave oven on.
New York-Style Cheesecake
Ingredients
1/2 cup plain flour (all-purpose)
7 packets of Philadelphia Cream Cheese (225g each in Australia, you will have 175g cream cheese leftover) (US 8oz packs)
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup of sour cream (250ml), room temperature
2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
5 large eggs, room temperature
butter to grease pan, boiling water & roasting pan
Method
Put the cream cheese in a bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix for 3-4 minutes until fluffy. Sift together flour and sugar, with the mixer on low speed add flour/sugar mix in a slow steady stream; mixing until smooth. Add the sour cream and vanilla; mixing until smooth.
Add eggs one at time, mixing until just combined (do not overmix).
Grease the sides of the tin with butter, pour cheese mix into the tin filling to almost the top.
Divide remaining cheese mix between the 12 cupcake cases.
Bake your cupcakes first; reduce oven temperature to 135cel (275F) & bake for about 20 minutes until the sides are set and the centres are still wobbly. Cool on rack. Once cool refrigerate uncovered for 4 hours. Mini cupcake cheesecakes keep for up to 3 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator or can be frozen, well wrapped for up to one month.
cupcake cheesecake in silicone moulds
Increase oven temperature to 160cel (325F)
Place large cheese cake into roasting pan place on oven rack, carefully pour boiling water around tin until halfway up the sides of cheesecake tin.
cheesecake in roasting pan ready for the oven & water bath
Bake one hour & 30-45 minutes, or until sides are set but centre is still wobbly. Turn oven off, put a wooden spoon in the oven door to allow the cheesecake to slowly cool for one hour in the oven.
cooly slowly helps prevent your cheesecake cracking
Transfer cheesecake tin to rack and let cool completely. Refrigerate uncovered for a minimum of 6 hours, but preferably overnight.
Raspberry Sauce
Ingredients
2 cups of fresh or frozen raspberries
juice of half a lime or lemon
1/4 cup sugar
Method
Using a blender or a food processor, process until smooth and push through a strainer to remove seeds.
Taste at this point, if you feel it needs more sugar stir in a little extra until it is dissolved. Keeps in a sealed container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Serve chilled sauce on cheesecake slices.
*Variations; the cheesecake can easily become lemon, lime or your citrus of choice by adding 2 teaspoons of finely grated zest when beating the cream cheese & reducing vanilla to a 1/2 teaspoon.
Leftover raspberry sauce can be drizzled over vanilla bean ice-cream or served with chocolate cake.