How to Make New York Cheesecake

Certain things in life seem too good to be true. Or at least, too good to be able to make at home. A slice of New York cheesecake, for example; that just-right crust and rich, creamy filling can seem impossible to recreate outside of your favorite restaurant. Luckily, we’re showing you how to bake this decadent dessert at home in just a few simple steps. All you’ll need are a few baking tools, your ingredients and a few hungry friends to help you devour every last bite. 

What you’ll need:

• Ingredients for New York Cheesecake
• 9-inch springform pan
• Cooking spray
• Medium bowl
• Large bowl
• Pastry blender or fork
• Cookie sheet
• Foil
• Cooling rack
• Electric mixer
• Thin-bladed, non-serrated knife
• Towel

How to:

Step 1:

Heat oven to 400°F. Grease pan; remove bottom. In medium bowl, mix crust ingredients using pastry blender until dough forms; gather into ball. Press one-third of dough on bottom of pan. Place on cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes; let cool.

Step 2:

Assemble bottom and side of pan; secure side. Press remaining dough 2 inches up side of pan.

Step 3:

Wrap outside of pan along the bottom and sides with foil to prevent leaking.

Step 4:

Set oven to 450°F. In bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 ¾ cups sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, orange peel, lemon peel and salt with electric mixer about 1 minute. Beat in eggs, egg yolks and ¼ cup of whipping cream; pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes.

Step 5:

Reduce oven temperature to 200°F; bake 1 hour 25 minutes. Turn off oven; leave cake in oven 30 minutes. Remove to cool for 30 more minutes. Run knife along sides of pan to loosen cake. Refrigerate uncovered 3 hours and covered 9 additional hours.

Step 6:

Run knife along sides of pan to loosen cake again; remove sides of pan. Leave cake on pan bottom to serve. In chilled bowl, beat ¾ cup whipping cream with electric mixer to thicken. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.

Step 7:

Sprinkle with almonds. Store covered in refrigerator. To cut cheesecake, use long, thin-bladed, non-serrated knife. Dip knife into hot water after each cut, cleaning it off with a clean towel.

Expert tips: 

• Soften cream cheese to room temperature. If cold, your filling will be lumpy.
• Check doneness at minimum time. Most cheesecakes are done when small area in center seems soft or jiggles slightly when pan is shaken. The hot cheesecake will continue to finish cooking as it cools. Don’t insert knife—it may cause a crack to form.
• Don’t forget to loosen cheesecake from side of pan. Cheesecakes shrink while cooling; loosening it will allow it to shrink without pulling and will prevent large cracks from forming. After cooling 30 minutes, run a metal spatula or table knife between side of pan and cake to loosen (but don’t release or remove side). Repeat again before releasing and removing side.
• Refrigerate uncovered at least 3 hours or until completely chilled before covering. This prevents condensation from dripping on top of cheesecake.
• Refrigerate at least 9 hours or overnight so cheesecake is completely set and firm. This allows for easier cutting and serving.
• Freeze cheesecake up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator before serving. 

To Make Chocolate Chip New York Cheesecake:

Fold 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips into cheese mixture before pouring into crust.

Using a Springform Pan:

This 2-piece pan has a side band that unlatches and loosens so it can be removed from the bottom. To re-attach the pieces, put the bottom inside the opened band; re-latch the buckle so the bottom connects to the side (in the small groove that’s near the bottom edge).