New York cheesecake

Dense Baked Cheesecake on a Sponge Base

New York cheesecake is dense, creamy and tall, baked in a water bath on a thin sponge cake base rather than a biscuit crust. This is the recipe of Junior's restaurant, as its owner gives it.

The recipe uses four 225 g packs of cream cheese, 330 g of sugar, 30 g of cornflour, 2 eggs and 180 ml of cream on a sponge crust, bakes for 1 1/4 hours in a water bath at 175°C, cools for 2 hours and chills overnight.

Ingredients

For the sponge base

  • 40 g sifted plain flour (the source uses cake flour)
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • A pinch of fine sea salt
  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • 65 g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 drops lemon extract
  • 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

For the filling

  • 900 g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 330 g caster sugar
  • 30 g cornflour
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 180 ml double cream

Method

  1. Prepare the tin Heat the oven to 175°C. Butter a 23 cm springform tin and wrap the outside in foil.
  2. Make the sponge base Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat the egg yolks on high for 3 minutes, then add 2 tbsp of the sugar gradually over 5 minutes. Add the extracts and fold in the flour and butter. Whisk the whites with the cream of tartar until frothy, add the remaining sugar gradually to stiff peaks and fold into the batter. Spread in the tin and bake for about 10 minutes until set and golden. Keep the oven on.
  3. Beat the filling Beat one pack of cream cheese with 65 g of the sugar and the cornflour for 3 minutes until creamy. Add the remaining cream cheese one pack at a time, scraping the bowl. Beat in the rest of the sugar and the vanilla, then the eggs one at a time. Gently blend in the cream without overmixing.
  4. Bake Pour the batter over the sponge. Stand the tin in a roasting tin and pour in hot water to 2.5 cm up the side. Bake for about 1 1/4 hours, until the edges are light golden and the top slightly tan.
  5. Cool and chill Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours undisturbed, cover loosely and chill overnight or at least 4 hours. Release the sides and slice with a straight-edged knife.

Do not overmix, or the cake cracks.

Wrap the tin well so no water gets in.

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