Whether you’re a home baker or perhaps a sweet tooth wanting to create magic in your kitchen, know that baking a cheesecake is not as intimidating as you might think. Be it nailing the crust or the water bath method, with this recipe guide, you can master the art of making a cheesecake right from the comfort of your home.
If you are a FRIENDS fan, you would relate to cheesecakes having a “buttery, crumbly, graham cracker crust, with a very rich yet light, cream cheese filling.” While watching the popular sitcom characters Chandler Bing and Rachel Green fight over the bigger piece of cheesecake, you must have drooled, wanting to give the New York-style cheesecake a try.
The base of the dessert is crumbly, made with a mixture of crushed biscuits. The prebaked crust is then followed by cream cheese filling that simply melts on your tongue. And rightfully so, the global favourite dessert is now a frequent sight in most of India’s cafes, bakeries, and patisseries. But if you feel settling for just a slice of cheesecake, and that too after a not-so-nominal price, is unjust, why don’t you bake it at home?
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Take a 7 or 8-inch springform pan and line it with parchment paper. It’s important to use a pan with removable sides to make any cheesecake.
Take the digestive biscuits and put them in a food processor or a zip-lock bag. Crush them till you get a fine sand-like powder. Mix the crushed biscuits with melted butter, a little sugar, and a pinch of salt.
Lay this mixture in the prepared pan. Press it into the bottom and smooth it out using a spoon or spatula. Bake the crust for about ten minutes and then let it cool.
In the meantime, prepare the filling. Beat the cream cheese till smooth, and then add sugar. Keep mixing till you get a lump-free texture.
Mix in fresh cream, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and cornflour. Gently mix to avoid trapping air inside the filling. Whisk in eggs one by one and mix till combined. Remember not to overmix the cheese filling, or the cheesecake may crack while baking.
Pour the filling over the prebaked crust. Tap the pan to release any air bubbles.
To master the art of making New York cheesecake, you’ll need to make the most of Bain-Marie, aka the water bath method. Place the cheesecake pan inside a larger baking tray and pour hot water into the tray. Fill the water till it reaches halfway up the springform pan. This method helps to keep the cheesecake moist.
Place the tray in the oven and bake for about 60 to 70 minutes. Once the centre looks set but a little jiggly, turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool inside the oven.
Wait for about an hour and then chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least six hours. Once set, slice the cheesecake using a warm knife and your American dessert will be ready to savour.
1 Since cheesecakes need even and steady heat, opt for a TTK Prestige OTG. Its conventional function circulates the air uniformly, thus preventing any hot spots and cracking.
2 To make the cream cheese filling, a hand blender will be perfect. If the filling is overmixed, the air bubbles get trapped inside, causing the cheesecake to crack. So, process on a low speed to get an evenly mixed filling.
3 To whip the cream cheese, you can also use the TTK Prestige food processor. But remember to pulse to get better control over the speed.
4 Pick non-stick or hard-anodised cookware from a wide variety by TTK Prestige. This will help you make the cleaning process as enjoyable as baking the cheesecake.
A cheesecake cracks when either the batter is overmixed or the temperature of the oven is too high. To prevent a sudden change in temperature, a water bath is essential. It also helps the baked cheesecake to cool down smoothly.
The traditional recipe to make New York-style cheesecake required the addition of eggs. However, for a vegetarian option, you can substitute the eggs with condensed milk and cornflour or agar. Just note that the consistency of the cheesecake will be less dense than the traditional version.
The best option to make the crust is digestive biscuits. For a low-sugar option, you can use sugar-free cookies or graham crackers. You can also use crushed chocolate biscuits for the base to add a flavour.
While it is recommended that you chill the cheesecake overnight, a minimum of six hours is non-negotiable. The chilling time helps the flavours to settle down, giving you a cleaner slice.
To master a cheesecake, don’t wait for the centre to get firm. Shake the pan slightly and if the outer inches are set and the centre wobbles a light, turn off the oven. The jelly-like consistency will firm up once you give the cheesecake adequate chilling time.
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