Experience the culinary masterpiece that is the five-star cheesecake, a symphony of flavors that tantalizes the taste buds and leaves you craving for more. This decadent dessert, often served at upscale restaurants and celebrated for its exquisite taste and presentation, can now be recreated in your own kitchen with careful preparation and attention to detail. Embark on a culinary journey as we unveil the secrets to crafting the perfect five-star cheesecake, from selecting the finest ingredients to mastering the art of achieving a smooth, creamy filling and a perfectly graham cracker crust. Get ready to indulge in a slice of pure bliss that will elevate your dessert game and impress your friends and family.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
CLASSIC NEW YORK CHEESECAKE
With this recipe, a creamy, gorgeous, crack-free New York-style cheesecake is totally doable, even for beginners!
Provided by Jennifer Segal
Categories Desserts
Time 2h25m
Yield 8 to 10
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the lower middle position. Wrap a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with one large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, covering the underside and extending all the way to the top so there are no seams on the bottom or sides of the pan. Repeat with another sheet of foil for insurance. Spray the inside of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Stir until well combined. Press the crumbs into an even layer on the the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, until set. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Set a kettle of water to boil.
- Make the batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and flour together on medium speed until just smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to be sure the mixture is evenly combined. Add the vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt; beat on low speed until just combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until incorporated, scraping the bowl as necessary. Mix in the sour cream. Make sure the batter is uniform but do not over-mix.
- Check to make sure your oven has cooled to 325°F, then set the cheesecake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour the batter on top of the crust. Pour the boiling water into the large roasting pan to come about 1 inch up the side of the cake pan. Bake until the cake is just set, 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes. (If the cheesecake starts to look too golden on top towards the end, cover it loosely with foil.) The cake should not look liquidy at all but will wobble just a bit when the pan is nudged; it will continue to cook as it cools. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Cool the cheesecake in the water bath until the water is just warm, about 45 minutes. Remove the springform pan from the water bath and discard the foil. If necessary, run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the cake to make sure it's not sticking to the sides (which can cause cracks as it cools), then cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to cool for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- For serving: Remove the sides of the springform pan. Serve the cheesecake right from the base of the pan; or, to transfer it to a serving platter, run a long, thin spatula between the crust and the pan bottom, and then use two large spatulas to carefully transfer the cheesecake to a serving dish. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between slices. Serve with berry sauce, if you like.
- Make Ahead: The cheesecake can be made and stored in the springform pan in the fridge, tightly covered with plastic wrap, up to two days ahead of time.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cheesecake can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the cake in the freezer briefly, unwrapped, to firm it up. Then double-wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator the night before you plan to eat it.
- Pro Tip: Springform pans are notorious for leaking. Since a cheesecake bakes in a water bath, the foil prevents the water from seeping in during baking. Please do not attempt to use standard 12-inch (30cm) aluminum foil - you can't have any foil seams on the bottom or sides of the pan. No matter how well (or how many times) you wrap the pan, if there are seams exposed to the water, the water will find a way in. Even when wrapped properly, you can occasionally get some condensation inside the foil. If this happens, don't worry - the crust is likely just a bit moist around the edges. Simply remove the sides of the springform pan before refrigerating and let it dry out in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 slice, Calories 659, Fat 43 g, Carbohydrate 59 g, Protein 11 g, SaturatedFat 24 g, Sugar 49 g, Fiber 1 g, Sodium 464 mg, Cholesterol 233 mg
OUR BEST CHEESECAKE
Not only is this our best cheesecake-a rich, creamy, cherry-topped showstopper--it's also one of the easiest to make!
Provided by Philadelphia
Categories Trusted Brands: Recipes and Tips PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese
Time 6h25m
Yield 16
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix graham crumbs, butter and 1/4 cup sugar; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
- Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.
- Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours.
- Top with pie filling before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 341.4 calories, Carbohydrate 36.2 g, Cholesterol 97.9 mg, Fat 20.6 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 5 g, SaturatedFat 11.1 g, Sodium 277.1 mg, Sugar 18 g
FIVE STAR CHEESECAKE
This cheesecake is truly five star rated and those that eat it will certainly agree it's the finest ever made. It's good enough to just make one every week so you can have it around when you want that something special to nosh!
Provided by PAMSTER2
Categories Desserts Cakes Cheesecake Recipes
Time 2h
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Wrap the outside of an 8 inch springform pan with foil. Generously butter the inside of pan and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs, then shake out excess.
- In a large bowl, Beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth. Beat in heavy cream, sour cream and half-and-half. Add vanilla and beat in the eggs one at a time. Pour filling into prepared pan. Wrap bottom of the pan on aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in.
- Place cheesecake in a water bath. Bake in the preheated oven for 75 minutes, or until filling is set.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 338 calories, Carbohydrate 19.6 g, Cholesterol 140.1 mg, Fat 26.3 g, Fiber 0.1 g, Protein 7 g, SaturatedFat 15.8 g, Sodium 217.4 mg, Sugar 16 g
THE BEST CHEESECAKE
We've created the cheesecake of your dreams - rich, dense and creamy with a buttery, not-too-sweet graham cracker crust. Easy-to-follow instructions ensure a smooth, crack-free top every time.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories dessert
Time 10h30m
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
- For the crust: Put the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl, cover with a paper towel and melt in the microwave in 10-second increments. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with some of the melted butter.
- Stir together the remaining butter with the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan, taking care to get the crust evenly to the edges. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool. Place the pan on a large sheet of foil and wrap up the sides. Place in a roasting pan.
- For the cheesecake: Beat together the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until just combined. Mix in the eggs by hand, one at a time, until just combined. (Take care not to overmix or the cheesecake will puff up and crack.) Pour the batter evenly over the crust, smoothing the top. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come about halfway up the sides of the foil-wrapped springform pan. Bake until the outside of the cake is set but the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
- Run a knife around the edge of the pan once more and unlock to unmold the cheesecake. Transfer to a serving platter or cake stand and smooth the edges with a knife.
FAMILY-FAVORITE CHEESECAKE
This easy cheesecake recipe has been a family favorite for almost 20 years. It's fluffy, delicate and absolutely delicious. I've shared it at many gatherings over the years and have even started baking it for our friends instead of Christmas cookies. -Esther Wappner, Mansfield, Ohio
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 1h20m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 2 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325°. , In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add egg yolks; beat on low just until combined. , In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour over crust., Bake for 1 hour or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate until completely cooled. , Combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla; fold in whipped cream. Spread over cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 414 calories, Fat 23g fat (13g saturated fat), Cholesterol 132mg cholesterol, Sodium 269mg sodium, Carbohydrate 47g carbohydrate (36g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 5g protein.
CLASSIC CHEESECAKE
A crumbly graham cracker crust and silky cream cheese filling make this New York-style cheesecake a winner.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Cake Recipes
Time 2h
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make crust: Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until fine crumbs form; add melted butter, sugar, and salt, and pulse to combine. Press crumb mixture into bottom and about 1 inch up side of pan. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
- Set a kettle of water to boil. Make filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.
- Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 1 3/4 hours. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 542 g, Fat 38 g, Protein 10 g
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the cheesecake will taste. This means using real cream cheese, not a cream cheese spread or whipped topping. It also means using fresh fruit and high-quality chocolate.
- Don't overbeat the cream cheese: Overbeating the cream cheese will make the cheesecake dense and crumbly. Beat it just until it is smooth and creamy.
- Bake the cheesecake in a water bath: This will help to prevent the cheesecake from cracking. Place the cheesecake pan in a larger pan filled with hot water, and bake them together.
- Let the cheesecake cool slowly: After baking, let the cheesecake cool for about an hour at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. This will help the cheesecake to set properly.
- Serve the cheesecake with your favorite toppings: Some popular toppings include fresh fruit, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and caramel sauce.
Conclusion:
Cheesecake is a delicious and versatile dessert that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With so many different recipes to choose from, there's sure to be a cheesecake that everyone will love. Whether you're looking for a classic cheesecake, a chocolate cheesecake, or something a little more unique, you're sure to find a recipe in this article that you'll enjoy. So what are you waiting for? Start baking!
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