Classic New York Baked Cheesecake Recipes

CLASSIC NEW YORK-STYLE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Assemble a 9-by-3-inch springform pan with its bottom inverted, so the raised lip faces down. Butter pan.
• In a food processor, finely grind graham crackers. Add melted butter, brown sugar, lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; pulse until mixture resembles wet sand. Press evenly into bottom and halfway up sides of prepared pan. Bake until golden and set, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool completely.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°. Beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in lemon juice and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream and vanilla until smooth.
• Place pan in the center of a double layer of foil. Lift edges of foil up, wrapping tightly around sides of pan and folding foil under itself as needed until flush with top of pan (this will prevent moisture from seeping in). Pour filling into pan (it should come almost to top of rim); smooth top with a small offset spatula.
• Place filled pan inside a roast- ing pan and transfer to center rack of oven. Carefully pour enough boiling water into roast- ing pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan (this is safer than pouring it in and then transferring to the oven). Bake until cake is puffed and golden brown on top and slightly wobbly in center, 1 3/4 to 2 hours (it will continue to cook as it cools).
• Carefully remove spring-form pan from roasting pan; transfer to a wire rack and let cool 20 minutes. Remove foil and run a small paring knife around sides of pan to loosen cheesecake. Let cool completely. Drape pan loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. Unmold cake and serve.

CLASSIC NEW YORK-STYLE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fill a large, round, disposable aluminum pan with about 1/2 inch of water to create a water bath.
• Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter for crust in a bowl. Mix until well combined and spread evenly in a 9-inch springform pan. Press down firmly on crumbs with a small, flat-bottom bowl or glass, all over the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides of the pan.
• Bake crust in the preheated oven until set, about 10 minutes. Remove crust and set aside to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Meanwhile, mix cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating batter briefly after each addition. Continue to add ingredients, one at a time, beating after each addition until blended, in this order: sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and flour. Pour cheesecake batter onto the crust and place carefully into the prepared water bath. The water level should be about 3/4 of the height of the springform pan; adjust as necessary.
• Bake cheesecake until the sides appear solid and the center appears just undercooked, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Turn the oven off, but do not open the oven door. Let the cheesecake cool in the water bath for 3 to 4 hours; the center will continue to cook slowly.
• Open the oven door slightly and keep the cheesecake inside for 1 more hour. Remove from the oven and transfer the cheesecake from the water bath to a wire rack. Cool for 1 hour, then place in the refrigerator until firm and fully chilled, at least 6 hours.
• Run a thin metal knife along the sides of the springform pan, then unlock the pan and slip the side section up and over the cheesecake. Run a knife under hot water, dry it quickly, then slide it from left to right between the bottom of the pan and the bottom of the cake. Slide the cake to a cake liner or platter.

CLASSIC NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the lower middle position. Wrap a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with one large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, covering the underside and extending all the way to the top so there are no seams on the bottom or sides of the pan. Repeat with another sheet of foil for insurance. Spray the inside of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Stir until well combined. Press the crumbs into an even layer on the the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, until set. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Set a kettle of water to boil.
• Make the batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and flour together on medium speed until just smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to be sure the mixture is evenly combined. Add the vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt; beat on low speed until just combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until incorporated, scraping the bowl as necessary. Mix in the sour cream. Make sure the batter is uniform but do not over-mix.
• Check to make sure your oven has cooled to 325°F, then set the cheesecake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour the batter on top of the crust. Pour the boiling water into the large roasting pan to come about 1 inch up the side of the cake pan. Bake until the cake is just set, 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes. (If the cheesecake starts to look too golden on top towards the end, cover it loosely with foil.) The cake should not look liquidy at all but will wobble just a bit when the pan is nudged; it will continue to cook as it cools. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Cool the cheesecake in the water bath until the water is just warm, about 45 minutes. Remove the springform pan from the water bath and discard the foil. If necessary, run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the cake to make sure it's not sticking to the sides (which can cause cracks as it cools), then cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to cool for at least 8 hours or overnight.
• For serving: Remove the sides of the springform pan. Serve the cheesecake right from the base of the pan; or, to transfer it to a serving platter, run a long, thin spatula between the crust and the pan bottom, and then use two large spatulas to carefully transfer the cheesecake to a serving dish. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between slices. Serve with berry sauce, if you like.
• Make Ahead: The cheesecake can be made and stored in the springform pan in the fridge, tightly covered with plastic wrap, up to two days ahead of time.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cheesecake can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the cake in the freezer briefly, unwrapped, to firm it up. Then double-wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator the night before you plan to eat it.
• Pro Tip: Springform pans are notorious for leaking. Since a cheesecake bakes in a water bath, the foil prevents the water from seeping in during baking. Please do not attempt to use standard 12-inch (30cm) aluminum foil - you can't have any foil seams on the bottom or sides of the pan. No matter how well (or how many times) you wrap the pan, if there are seams exposed to the water, the water will find a way in. Even when wrapped properly, you can occasionally get some condensation inside the foil. If this happens, don't worry - the crust is likely just a bit moist around the edges. Simply remove the sides of the springform pan before refrigerating and let it dry out in the refrigerator.

CLASSIC DELICIOUS NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• To make the crust, mix graham crackers crumbs, butter, and 2 tablespoons of sugar in bowl.
• Press mixture in bottom and sides of 9 inch springform pan.
• In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar for 2 minutes.
• Add eggs and vanilla to mixture and mix until well blended.
• Then stir or fold in sour cream.
• Pour mixture in crust filled pan and bake for 10 minutes.
• Then reduce to 200 degrees to bake for 45 minutes.
• From here the cheese cake just needs to be chilled, but I recommend doing the following step if you have a few extra hours- Leave in warm oven, once you turn it off but leave door slightly open.
• Let sit and cool for 2 hours and remove from oven.
• Remove sides from pan and chill in refrigerator.