🛒 Ingredients
- 600g Philadelphia-style cream cheese
- 3 eggs
- 200g sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 200ml heavy cream (35% fat)
- zest of 1 lemon
- 200g digestive biscuits
- 80g butter
👨🍳 Step-by-step instructions
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Crush the Graham crackers to a fine crumb. Mix with melted butter and sugar.
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Press the mixture into the base of a 23 cm springform tin. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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Beat the cream cheese at room temperature until smooth and lump-free.
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Add the sugar and vanilla. Incorporate the eggs one at a time on low speed.
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Add the sour cream and mix gently. Pour over the cold base.
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Bake in a water bath at 160°C for 60-70 minutes. The centre should be slightly wobbly.
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Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside with the door ajar for 1 hour to prevent cracks.
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Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Serve with fresh berries.
💡 Chef's tip
Bake in a bain-marie so the heat is gentle and even. When it comes out of the oven, let it cool with the door slightly ajar for 1 hour before removing—a sudden temperature change is the main cause of cracks.
📝 Our take
Genuine New York cheesecake uses Philadelphia cream cheese (or equivalent)—not ricotta, not light spread cheese. The difference is density: cream cheese gives a compact yet smooth texture that distinguishes it from all other cheesecakes. A bain-marie oven and gradual cooling prevent cracks: a central crack is the indicator that something went wrong.
🍷 Wine & food pairing
A well-chilled Jerez Cream or late-harvest Muscat. A warm café au lait also works, providing a temperature contrast to the cold, creamy texture.
Suggested wine: Jerez Cream
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