Christie C. Rich. Creamy. Fresh…
I think cheesecake is the ultimate cake, but only if it A) Comes from Junior’s or B) Is homemade. Junior’s has a special place in my heart not just because it’s a good reminder of home, but because it takes me back to my childhood when my dad used to bring home a cherry or strawberry cheesecake in a striped white and orange box.
I’m now several states away from Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, but at least I have a modified recipe that seems even better than how I remembered the original cheesecake. Top it with jam, fruit, caramel, or whipped cream if you like. This is a very versatile cake that goes well with literally everything!
New York Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cake Crust
- 2 Tablespoons (30g) Cake Flour
- 1/2 Teaspoon (3g) Baking Powder
- 1 Teaspoon (5g) Sea Salt
- 1 Extra Large Egg, separated
- 3 Tablespoons (45g) Sugar
- 1/2 Teaspoon (2g) Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tablespoon (15g) Melted Butter
- 1/4 Teaspoon (1g) Cream of Tartar
- Zest of 1 Lemon or 2 TSP (10g) Lemon Oil
Cake Filling
- 16 ounces (454g) Full Fat Cream Cheese
- 3/4 Cup + 1 TBSP (185g) Sugar
- 1/4 Teaspoon (1g) Cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon (15g) Vanilla Extract or 1 Vanilla Bean carved out
- 1 Extra Large Egg
- 1/3 Cup (85g) Heavy Cream
Instructions
Make the Crust
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Preheat oven to 350ºF(177ºC)
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Line the bottom of an 8” cake pan or a 3” tall 6” cake pan (or spring form pan of either size) with a cutout of round parchment paper. Spray the pan and its edges liberally with non-stick spray.
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In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolk and half of the sugar until it becomes pale yellow and forms “ribbons” in the bowl. Beat in the vanilla extract and the lemon zest or oil.
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Whisk or sift all of the dry ingredients together and fold them into the egg mixture. When just incorporated, fold in the melted butter until just incorporated
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In a clean medium bowl, beat the egg white, remaining sugar, and cream of tartar together until stiff peak. A third at a time, fold the meringue into the flour and egg mixture. Fold thoroughly, but do not over-mix to keep the air bubbles.
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Pour the batter carefully into the prepared pan and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cake is raised and springy. Do not over bake. Set the cake aside to cool.
Make the Cake Filling
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In a large bowl, beat half of the cream cheese with the sugar, egg, and cornstarch until super creamy. Beat in the remaining cream cheese until fully combined.
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While pouring the heavy cream in a stream into the cream cheese mixture, beat the batter until the heavy cream is just combined.
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Liberally spray the cake pan with the cake crust with non-stick spray. Evenly pour the cheesecake filling into the pan and smooth out the top. Gently knock the filled pan down on the counter to remove air bubbles.
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Place a sheet pan or any shallow pan into the oven, making sure it is wide enough to fit the cheesecake tin. Place the cheesecake onto the sheet pan and fill the sheet pan with water, creating a bain-marie. The water should come between a third and half way up the sides.
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Bake the cake for 110 minutes or until the center barely jiggles and has an ivory to golden caramelized top.
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Allow cake to cool in pan for at least four hours. Release the cake from the pan, and chill in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Enjoy!
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