A few weeks ago I mentioned that on my last trip to New York the only food item I chose to bring back were some full-sour kosher dill pickles. I said that there was nowhere outside of New York that you could find them. I stand by that.
But New York style cheesecake is a whole ‘nother story.
There are two distinct camps when it comes to cheesecake. There are the creamy fans and there are the cakey fans. Cakey is more commonly known as New York style. That cakey texture is actually denseness. About two times the quantity of cream cheese is used to make New York style (plus an additional egg).
One other issue that cheesecake makers and eaters have is the crack in the top. Some bakers use the crack to determine when the cheesecake is fully baked. To my way of thinking, a crack means the cheesecake is over-baked.
I have a full-proof no-crack method for baking either style. And rather than give you a recipe for just plain old plain cheesecake, I thought I’d show you how to add another dimension of both flavor and appearance to your cheesecake. It works best on the creamy style, but you can flavor your New York-style cheesecake and use a topping as well.
I also use a bain-Marie – a water bath – to keep my cheesecakes moist. Even a dense New York style cheesecake should have moistness as one of its attributes. And one other method will help bakers of either style – it’s when to add the sour cream. I add it to the mixing bowl before the cream cheese because it acts as a sort of lubricant for the beaters and helps incorporate the cheese more easily into the rest of the ingredients.
Fool-Proof No-Crack Cheesecake
2 cups finely ground chocolate wafers, crushed (use graham crackers for all other flavors)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (additional for greasing pan)
2 8-oz. blocks cream cheese, softened (double this amount for New York style)
1 cup sugar (add additional 1/4 cup for New York)
3 eggs (use an extra egg for New York style)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips (you may omit these 3 ingredients for plain New York style)
1/2 cup cream
1 pint sour cream
To prepare crust: In a mixing bowl, combine first three ingredients together with a fork until evenly moistened. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan with melted butter. Firmly press the mixture over the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of the pan, using your fingers or the smooth bottom of a glass or measuring cup. Refrigerate the crust while preparing the filling.
To prepare filling (or flavoring for New York style): Melt chocolate chips with cream over a pot of simmering water until smooth. Set aside and keep warm. In a large bowl, beat the sour cream until it coats the side of the bowl, then add cream cheese and beat on low speed for 1 minute just until smooth and free of any lumps. Gradually add the sugar and beat until creamy, one to two minutes. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to slowly beat until combined. Stir in the vanilla. (At this point add all of the chocolate if making New York style.) Pour half the filling into the prepared spring form pan. Then pour in the melted chocolate. Pour in the rest of the batter. With the tip of a sharp knife, gently swirl the chocolate taking care not to pierce the crust on the bottom of the pan. You’ll have a marble design when finished.
Heat the oven to 325. Wrap the spring form pan in aluminum foil. Place it in a roasting pan. Place the pan on the oven rack, and then carefully pour in hot or boiling water until it’s about halfway up the side of the spring form pan. Bake for 45 minutes. The cake should jiggle slightly. Do not test for doneness like you would a regular cake, otherwise, the top will crack. Leave the oven door closed until the oven cools down completely. Remove the foil and place on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Then let it set in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least four hours. Run a sharp knife around the edges and release the spring form. To release from the bottom, use an offset spatula to loosen the cake, then transfer to your presentation plate. Either style cheesecake freezes well, so you can make it in advance. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.