Classic New York Cheesecake

New York cheesecake is not delicate. It's tall, it's dense, it slices in clean sharp wedges. Getting there means a few small habits — room-temperature cream cheese, a water bath, and the patience to let it cool slowly.

This has taken me a lot of tries to get right. What follows is the version that has come out perfectly every time for the last two years.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 165°C (325°F). Wrap the outside of a 23cm springform pan tightly in two layers of foil.
2. Mix the crust ingredients until they look like wet sand. Press firmly into the base of the pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool.
3. In a stand mixer with the paddle, beat the cream cheese, sugar and cornflour on low for 3 minutes until completely smooth. Scrape the bowl often.
4. Beat in the vanilla and lemon zest. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time on the lowest speed. Fold in the sour cream. Do not overbeat — extra air causes cracks.
5. Pour the filling over the crust. Sit the pan in a roasting tin, pour hot water halfway up the sides, and bake for 65–75 minutes until the edges are set but the centre still wobbles like set jelly.
6. Turn off the oven, crack the door, and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 6 hours or overnight before slicing.

Cooking tips

• Every ingredient must be at room temperature. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps you can never mix out.
• The wobble in the middle is the doneness cue. It sets fully in the fridge.
• Wipe your knife clean with a warm damp cloth between slices for tidy wedges.

More like this

If you enjoyed this recipe, you'll find more of my favourite desserts recipes in the archive, or browse the full collection.