What makes a cheesecake "New York style?"?!
What makes a cheesecake "New York style?"?
Answers:
New York Style Cheesecake is just a plain cheesecake made with cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and then baked in a graham cracker crust. NY Cheesecake is normally topped with fruit compote. Let me know if you want a recipe!
Styles of cheesecake
American cheesecakes generally rely on cream cheese, invented in 1872 as an alternative to French Neufchatel. After James L. Kraft invented pasteurized Philadelphia cream cheese in 1912, it became the top product for making cheesecakes.
New York-style cheesecake, made famous by Lindy's and Junior's Deli, relies upon heavy cream, cream cheese, eggs and egg yolks to add a richness and a smooth consistency. Also called Jewish-style, it is baked in a special 5- to 6-inch tall springform pan in many restaurants. Some recipes use cottage cheese and lemon for distinct texture and flavor or add chocolate or strawberry to the basic recipe.
Chicago-style cheesecake, typified by Eli's Cheesecake, is a baked cream-cheese version that is firm outside and creamy inside.
Pennsylvania Dutch-style cheesecake uses a slightly tangy type of cheese with larger curds and less water content, called pot or farmer's cheese.
Philadelphia-style cheesecake, typified by Darling's Cheesecake, is lighter in texture, yet creamier in flavor than New York style cheesecake.
Farmer's cheese cheesecake is the contemporary implementation for the traditional use of baking to preserve fresh cheese and often is baked in a pie shell along with fresh fruit like a tart.
Sour cream cheesecake is thought to have originated in the mid-20th century in the United States after the mass homogenization of milk and the loss of cream as a widely available ingredient. It still uses cream cheese but has no heavy cream. It is the most widely used recipe for cheesecake outside New York-style in the United States. It can be frozen for short periods of time without ruining the texture. Many factory-made cheesecakes use this method because of this trait.
Roman-style cheesecake uses honey and a ricotta-like cheese along with flour and is traditionally shaped into loaves. Some recipes call for bay leaves, which may have been used as a preservative. It is still baked in areas in Italy that kept culinary traditions alive after the fall of Rome.
Italian-style cheesecake is a modern version of Roman cheesecake. It uses ricotta or mascarpone cheese, replaces the honey with sugar, omits the bay leaves, and adds other modern ingredients such as vanilla extract. This type of cheesecake is typically drier than American styles. Often, small bits of candied fruit are added.
French-style cheesecakes are very light, feature gelatin as a binding ingredient and are typically only 1 to 2 inches tall. This variety gets its light texture and flavor from Neufchatel cheese and is found in outdoor markets in the South of France and fine pastry shops in Paris.
Greek-style cheesecake commonly uses Mizithra cheese and Mascarpone cheese.
German-style cheesecake (K?sekuchen) uses quark cheese. The K?sesahnetorte (cheese cream tart) adds cream and does not get baked.
Dutch/Belgian-style cheesecakes are typically flavored with melted bittersweet chocolate.
Brazilian-style cheesecake usually has a layer of goiabada (guava marmalade).
Japanese-style cheesecake relies upon the emulsification of cornstarch and eggs to make a smooth flan-like texture and almost plasticine appearance. It is a very popular vending machine food in Japan because it is one of the few milk products that can easily be made shelf stable.
Asian-style cheesecake flavours include matcha (powdered Japanese green tea) and mango.
Country-style cheesecake uses buttermilk to produce a firm texture while decreasing the pH (increasing acidity) to extend shelf life.
Vegan cheesecakes use substitutions such as silken tofu for cream cheese, or vegetarian cream cheese alternatives such as Tofutti's "Better than Cream Cheese". Vegan graham crackers are obtainable for the crust, and granola is also a popular substitute.
Lactose free cheesecake may be made either with Vegan recipes or by combining vegetarian cream cheese alternatives or lactose-free cream cheese with other lactose-free ingredients.
Cottage cheese and lemon versions.
In reference to the varieties and possibilities of cheesecake, cheesecake-cooking champion David Gluckman said: "Cheesecake is really a canvas."