The Rich History of the New York Cheesecake and How to Bake the Perfect One At Home

The New York cheesecake is a rich, dense dessert that originated in the concrete jungle of New York City. Made with a rich cream cheese filling and the trademark American Graham cracker crust, the New York cheesecake sprung into the culinary scene not too long ago in India. 

It's the cream cheese filling that gives New York cheesecake its signature thick, creamy texture. The secret sauce is the higher cream-cheese-to-egg ratio as compared to other cheesecake recipes, which results in a dense, firm texture rather than a jiggly one. 

The New York cheesecake has little to do with baking and is practically a no-bake or low-bake cheesecake recipe. Toppings are kept simple, like fruit-based sauce (think blueberry) or powdered sugar, to let the rich cream cheese flavor shine through. 

Much like most American inventions, the famous New York cheesecake was introduced by European migrants to the USA. Let's take a tour of this scrumptious cheesecake, shall we?

The History

The origins of the New York cheesecake can be traced back to the late 19th century, when Eastern European immigrants began settling in New York City. Housing multiple dessert provinces back in their homeland, these immigrants came to the USA armed with numerous recipes, and the cheesecake was one of them. Early cheesecakes from countries of Romania and Greece, where the cheesecake took birth, often contained high-fat cream cheese. 

As these immigrants set up shop in New York, they began tweaking their traditional cheesecake recipes to adapt to locally available American ingredients. Fresh cream cheese, which had just been invented in the 1870s, became a key ingredient. Other staples like eggs, sugar, sour cream, and sometimes vanilla, were also incorporated.

The first cheesecakes in New York were likely sold in various bakeries that sprang up in immigrant neighborhoods across the five boroughs of Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. As these businesses catered to both new European arrivals and native New Yorkers, cheesecake recipes began evolving further. 

The Cheesecake Today

By the early-20th century, a style of cheesecake had solidified and came to be known as the classic New York version. It featured the trademark graham cracker crust, a thick cream cheese filling baked in a water bath, and no other adornments. This simple yet indulgent dessert became immensely popular among all New Yorkers. 

In contrast to airier varieties that often include ingredients like biscuits or graham crackers in the filling itself, New York cheesecake has a crisp, crumbly graham cracker crust. This crunchy base provides the perfect contrast to the dense, creamy filling. 

Here is the classic New York Cheesecake Recipe:

Serving Size: This recipe makes 1 cake serving 8-10 people

Ingredients for the crust:

• 1-1/2 cups digestive biscuit or cookie crumbs 
• 1/4 cup melted ghee or butter

Ingredients for the filling:

• 2 cups cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar 
• 1/2 cup condensed milk
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 eggs 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C.
• Mix biscuit crumbs and ghee until moistened. Press into the bottom of a springform pan (a two-part detachable baking pan). 
• Using an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth. 
• Beat in some powdered sugar until fluffy. 
• Beat in condensed milk, yogurt, eggs and vanilla until well blended. 
• Pour the filling over the crust. Tap the pan on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles. 
• Place the pan in a larger baking dish and pour hot water that comes halfway up the sides. 
• Bake for 1 hour or until the center is just set. Turn off the oven and let it rest inside with the door closed for 2 hours.
• Remove from the water bath and allow to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.
• Make sure you run a knife around the edge and remove the rim from the pan. 

This delicious New York-style cheesecake is best served chilled. If you can get your hands on graham crackers from any shops selling imported goods, then you will be able to make the exact same cheesecake that the Americans love so much.

Over the decades, the New York cheesecake recipe has remained largely unchanged. Some bakers experimented with adding flavors like chocolate or fruit swirls, but the classic version with just a graham cracker crust and cream cheese filling reigns supreme. It has stood the test of time as the definitive American cheesecake style.