Cheesecake – The one and only New York Cheesecake recipe you will ever need

There are so many cheesecake recipes and I don’t mind experimenting with different flavour combinations, no bake versions, cheesecake bars, etc. but when it comes to a classic baked New York Style Cheesecake, there’s only one recipe that I do not dare to change. This iconic American version has a long history and the recipe held up through the decades, arguably being one of the most famous recipes.

I’ve always been obsessed with all things New York, in addition the history of 1920’s and 1930’s has been most fascinating to me with the Prohibition, speakeasies and the Great Depression. So to know that my favourite dessert was created in New York during that era, makes it extra special for me!

Although the cheesecake itself, outside of North America, has a long history dating back to the Ancient Greece, cream-cheese based version of the cheesecake did not come to light until 1930s.

The first American cream cheese cake dates to 1929 and the creation of it is credited to Arnold Reuben, New York Restauranteur and a German-Jewish immigrant, who developed first cream-cheese cake recipe after being served a cheese pie in a private home.

But it wasn’t until Leo Lindenmann’s famous New York Deli Lindy’s put the cheesecake on their menu, that this iconic dessert was really put in the spotlight. Lindy’s became most known for its cheesecake, which by many was considered as the most famous cheesecake in the United States. Unofficially, the rumor has it that Leo “Lindy” Lindenmann and his wife hired Reuben’s bakers in order to recreate the 1929 cake recipe, although the two cakes were not the same.

Then the story takes another “Lost and Found” twist. According to the article published in the New York Times in 1977 by Craig Claiborne, Famous Lindy’s Cheesecake recipe seemed to “have disappeared from the face of the earth” after Lindy’s, famous New York Deli, closed its doors in 1969.

The story has it, that this recipe was later recreated by a famous pastry chef, Guy Pascal, who hired an older gentleman who used to make Lindy’s cheesecakes. The older gentleman refused to give away the legendary recipe, but Chef Guy Pascal measured the number of the cheesecakes made against the ingredients used, while watching the man from the corners of his eyes to eventually recreate this iconic treasure. As you can see, there’s a lot of love and history behind this recipe. In my version, I take out the flour (almost a Century after its invention, we now know that water bath helps prevent cracks, while eggs and correct internal temperature ensure the cheesecake sets, eliminating the need for flour) and replace the crust with the simple Graham Cracker crust (I find it a lot easier than the original crust as well as better-tasting.) In addition, the key to making this cheesecake is the temperature contrast. The initial burst of high temperature makes the cheesecake brown and puff up, creating a soufflé-like texture on the inside, while finishing cooking at low temperature ensures the cheesecake is properly cooked while preserving that luscious texture. Unfortunately, many home ovens’ temperatures may be a few degrees off. As such, I’m lowering and increasing the baking temperatures for the cheesecake by 50° (the original recipe calls for 500 and 200 temperature contrast, while I suggest 450 and 250 just to be safe.)

Make it Gluten-Free: Replace Graham Crackers with Gluten-Free Graham Crackers. As with all gluten-free recipes, ensure all your ingredients are gluten free and not cross-contaminated. Canned cherry pie topping may not be gluten-free, feel free to serve this cheesecake with Gluten-Free toppings, jams or fresh fruit.