Classic baked cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the base:
200g digestive biscuits or speculoos100g melted butter

For the filling:
600g cream cheese (Philadelphia or similar)150g caster sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
200ml heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

For the topping (optional):

Red fruit coulis, caramel, or fresh fruit.

Instructions:

Preparing the base:

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Mash the cookies into fine crumbs.

Toss the crumbs with the melted butter and spread the mixture in the bottom of a springform pan, pressing well to form the base.

Bake the base for 10 minutes in the oven, then let cool.

Preparation of the filling:

Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and flour until smooth.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in the egg yolk.

Add the vanilla extract, crème fraîche and lemon juice. Mix well.

Cooking:

Pour the filling over the cooled base.Bake for about 45 to 60 minutes, or until the cheesecake is lightly browned around the edges and still shaky in the center.

Let cool completely in the pan before refrigerating for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Finishing:

Just before serving, add the topping of your choice.

History of Classic baked cheesecake:

Cheesecake is the stereotypical bad boy of the dessert world: gorgeous without trying too hard, and addictive with an uncertain past as alluring as its taste. Typically made as a luscious cheese-based filling with a cookie crust, and sometimes swirled or topped with chocolate or berries, it’s one of the most recognizable desserts in the country. While many people believe that this decadent treat originated in New York City—and understandably so, as it is the Big Apple’s signature dessert—accounts of cakes made of cheese date back to ancient Greece.

One of the first recorded recipes, dated in the first century and called “libum,” is a far cry from the creamy cake we know today. Calling for two pounds of “well crushed” cheese mixed with flour and a single egg, this version was formed into a loaf and baked in a hot fire under a brick. A similar incarnation featured honey and was served to the first Olympic athletes as a source of energy before the games. When Greece was conquered by Rome, the recipe for libum was among the spoils of war. The Romans referred to their take on cheesecake, somewhat unappetizingly, as “placenta.” These ancient cakes were considered delicacies and, as such, were often given as tribute to the gods and served by brides to grooms at weddings as a token of love.

As Roman influence spread, so did the prevalence of recipes referring to cakes made of cheese. Through the centuries, cheesecake has surfaced in many forms. Some savory versions featured yeast rather than eggs, while some sweet varieties literally dripped in honey. The cheesecake we know today began to take shape after the development of creamy Neufchâtel cheese in France. Colonists brought cheesecake to the New World, and in 1872, a New York dairy farmer’s attempt to recreate this soft French cheese went awry, resulting in the creation of what Americans know as cream cheese—and the cheesecake game was changed forever.

In present times, cheesecake still exists in multiple forms. German cheesecake is made with quark, a sour cream-like dairy product. Italian cheesecake depends on ricotta for its creamy base. Philadelphia’s is known for being lighter and creamier than other variations, while Chicago’s adds sour cream to enhance the texture. Some versions use water baths while others don’t involve baking at all, thanks to the use of gelatin to set the top layer. However, the most widely familiar—and most vehemently supported—version of cheesecake in America is the iconic New York cheesecake. 

Arnold Reuben, owner of Reuben’s Restaurant and Delicatessen and The Turf Restaurant, is credited with creating the New York cheesecake in the 1920s. His cheesecake recipe, also known as Jewish cheesecake thanks to his heritage and the recipe’s kosher ingredients, was allegedly a favorite of actors and actresses seeking late night indulgence after shows. In 1950, Junior’s opened in Brooklyn and has been a king among New York cheesecake makers ever since. “My grandfather said, ‘If you’re going to open a restaurant in New York, you’ve got to have great cheesecake,’” says Alan Rosen, third-generation owner at Junior’s. 

Over the years, scores of restaurants and bakeries would follow this thought and tout their cheesecake as New York cheesecake.