Let’s talk about the origin of this famous and delicious dessert called cheesecake.
In ancient Greece, the cheesecake was considered a natural energy source, and it was not in vain that it was the food of the first athletes of the Olympic Games when they began in 776 BC. It was not until the year 230 AD when the writer Athenaeus attributed the authorship of the written recipe; Although very different, in those times, the grated cheese was heated in a pan with some honey and flour and let cool to serve. That’s how it all started in Greece.
When the Romans conquered Greece, cheesecake became a riot of war. They modified the recipe, including eggs, baking it between hot bricks, baptized the dish with the name Libum, and it was served only on special occasions. With the extension of the Roman Empire, the cheesecake reached the rest of the European countries, and each one modified the recipe to their taste and culinary customs. This cake became more similar to what we know today, and it finally arrived in America with the European conquerors in the eighteenth century.
The addition of cream cheese began in 1872; a cheesemaker was attempting to produce a variety of French cheese and, by chance, came up with a smooth, creamy cheese that we know today as cream cheese, that he later distributed wrapped in aluminum foil in markets and named it Philadelphia Cream. In 1928 Kraft cheese company bought the factory and still produces the famous cream cheese.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, cheesecake has become an icon for New Yorkers. However, the authorship of the recipe that we know today is attributed to a young German guy named Arnold Reuben, who came to the United States to dedicate himself to restoration. After being invited to a dinner and tasting the cheesecake, he did not rest until he modified the recipe and got to what is now known as the famous NY cheesecake.
So many variations of this dish exist. Even in the same country, in Chicago, there is a version with sour cream; in St. Louis is made with a layer, most of the time made of fruit. Almost every place in the world has its variations; In Italy, they use Mascarpone, ricotta, and honey, Greeks use Feta or Mizithra, Germans add cottage cheese and don’t make a cookie crust, they make a dough; Polony has its version called Sernik, Japan adds egg whites and corn starch, some countries even have a blue corn version, some add hot chilies, tofu, quark, etc.
Like brownies, there are different cheesecakes, Japanese-style cheesecake, burnt basque cheesecake, NY-style cheesecake, and classic cheesecake, among others. While classic and NY-style cheesecakes are the most common varieties, one differs from the other. A classic cheesecake recipe usually relies on heavy cream and sour cream to thin the batter and create a silky and creamier texture. New York cheesecake is heavy on cream cheese, which is why it’s so dense and rich, but extra cream cheese isn’t the only thing that makes New York cheesecake special. It also includes extra eggs and yolks to provide a smooth consistency; the egg helps bind the cheesecake together, giving it that tight texture.
When most people refer to Philadelphia-style cheesecake, experts say, they’re talking about a version marketed by the cream cheese brand that is basically a NY-style cheesecake recipe. As I explained before, a classic style typically has sour cream or heavy cream in the mix, and Philadelphia or NY-style doesn’t, which means it doesn’t have anything to do with Philadelphia, the city but the brand.
Even though NY-style cheesecake is thick and dense, there is a trick I’m happy to share with you to make your NY-style cheesecake a little lighter and smoother while not changing the NY-style recipe, adding cream, sour cream, etc. I feel this recipe is a marriage between the Japanese-style cheesecake, which is very airy and fluffy, and a dense and cheesy NY-style cheesecake. To me, it has the best of both worlds. I came up with this recipe mashup after trying different recipes and not being satisfied with the result, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
I call this recipe the 3 step cheesecake because you only need to beat, fold and bake. I have used this recipe at sea level and high altitudes and had no problems with it sinking or getting ruined. You could infuse this dessert if you wanted to; as you can see, this recipe does not call for any added fat, so a tincture reduction works better for the batter (make sure you cream it with the cheese, not the egg whites); you could make your own infused crust with infused butter if you wish, or do both. This is a fast and easy recipe yet scrumptious; I bet you will love it, so let’s get baking!
Keep in mind that if you don’t want to take the extra step of whipping the egg whites separately, know that you can always skip it, and your cheesecake will be as delicious as this is just an extra step to incorporate a little more air to make it a bit fluffier.
Ingredients:
2 pkg – 16 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 tsp lemon juice
pinch of lemon zest (optional)
Crust (you could use storebought or better yet, you can follow this recipe for a nice and tasty crust from scratch)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 325F.
Separate the yolks from the egg whites. Cream the cream cheese, sugar, and yolks in a bowl until creamy and smooth.
In another bowl, whip the egg whites until almost getting a merengue. Set aside. *Is a MUST that the bowl is super clean and dry; the slightest trace of fat, even a drop of water or the fibers in a drying cloth can ruin the egg whites, and no matter how much you beat them, they won’t rise. Beat until you meringue consistency.
Carefully and gradually start folding the beaten egg whites with the cream cheese batter until evenly mixed, don’t overwork; it will lose air and mess up the airy texture of your fluffy cheesecake.
* Folding is an exact term in cooking and baking, and this term is used to describe the process of combining ingredients gently without stirring, beating, or otherwise agitating the mixture. You must carefully combine two mixtures of different thicknesses and weights into one (relatively) smooth mixture. This is accomplished by a specific technique of using a spoon or spatula to lift the two mixtures together, turning them over so they combine without losing the incorporated air.
Carefully spread the batter evenly over the crust and bake for 40 minutes. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hrs. *Chilling is part of the cheesecake’s setting process, so you should chill too before enjoying this tasty treat!
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