A friend has requested this for her husband's birthday but I've never made a cheesecake before, as no one in our family likes it (shielding myself from flying objects!!!). I could use some help and advice on a few things please!


1. What makes "New York" style different than regular? I googled and came up with so many different answers I'm even more confused now!

2. Any great recipes?

3. Is it hard to make, and how do I??? I have a springform pan that I've never used, don't know how! ( do I even BELONG on this forum??!)

4. Can you ice a cheesecake? She originally wanted it like my golf course cake, but has now decided she just wants the cheesecake, but for future reference I'd like to know.

5. I don't charge for my cakes, but aren't these the kind that people pay through the nose for? Why? Is it just specific bakeries that they come from that makes them so pricey, or am I confusing this with something else?

6. FINALLY....she asked for Ghiradelli "hard chocolate" on top; I'm assuming she means chocolate ganache? She asked for a really thick layer.....about 1/2".....is that too thick?

(I've never done ganache before either, so if anyone's in a very generous mood with their time, I'd so appreciate any help and advice on that also!!)

Thanks so much for all your help; it's so great to know I can come here and get help and advice when I need it!

I don't have much time to post, but here is a really good New York style cheesecake that I have made with great results. As you can see by the rating of it, I am not the only one. If you check the first few reviews there are a lot of tips too.

Good luck!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chantals-New-York-Cheesecake/Detail.aspx

I'm far from a cheesecake expert, but I can answer a few of your questions...
Re the New York part, I don't know - is it because it's baked? I do have a recipe, but I don't know if it's 'great'. If nobody posts another, I'll come back later and give you mine!

It is very expensive to make a 'proper' cheesecake, with all cream cheese, and using Philly does make it better than store-brand cream cheese. The recipe I have uses 4 packages of it, plus, I think, 8 eggs. If you want it extra-tall that would obviously be even more $$. You might want to ask her to chip in on the cost of ingredients.

Ganache on top would be really nice, and would cover up if you get a crack (which I always do). I don't think a half inch thick layer of 'hard' chocolate would be at all appealing though - I'd check what she wants.

Sorry, not much help.

Personally I can't tell the difference between a regular cheesecake and a new york style cheesecake. If she wants hard chocolate on top, I don't think you will want to use ganache. It doesn't get hard. I made mini cheesecakes and poured melted chocolate on the top and let it harden. The recipe from allrecipes that maryjsgirl posted is really good. spring form pans are easy to work with. i sugest you put parchment paper on the bottom. Good luck!

Double post

Tripple post....... I hate when it does this!

I have always used the New York Cheese Cake recipe from the Philadeliphia Cream Cheese package. It's great and I have good reviews from it. I also buy my cracker crumb crusts, I never make them. I do use a name brand. Good luck.

Here are some tips on making a cheesecake. It really does make a difference what quality ingridients you use. Always use the best. HTH

http://baking.about.com/od/cheesecakes/a/tips.htm

I've made New York Cheesecakes for 25 years. I used to sell them to restaurants. They're dense, heavy and thick! My 9 inch cheesecakes weigh in at a whopping 8 pounds. They're expensive, because the ingredients are expensive. Mine has 40 ounces of cream cheese, almost a dozen eggs, butter, cream, etc.....
And, before you ask, I'm sorry, it's the one recipe I have that I don't share.
I use ganache on a lot of my cakes, but it's not hard. You could easily put on a 1/2 inch thick layer though.
There are several photos of my cheesecakes in my photos.

Several tips: Make sure your cream cheese is room temperature. Beat with the sugar until it's very creamy. Once you add the eggs, don't overbeat! It will add air, which makes the cheesecake rise, then they'll fall and crack. Bake until the internal temperature is 150 degrees. The center will still look jiggly. Over 160, and they're guaranteed to crack, due to overbaking. Once you take it out of the oven, let sit on a rack for about 15 minutes. Carefully and gently open the side of the springform pan to release the sides of the cheesecake, the shut the pan again and let cool completely. Cheesecakes shrink as they cool, and if the sides of the cake are stuck to the pan the center will crack from the pulling. BUT, some of my cheesecake crack no matter what I do. That's what ganache is for!

Jodie

I can second the recipe for Chantal's cheesecake recipe that someone suggested. It is fabulous!!

I couldn't tell you what an authentic NY style one is , but that one is the one I use most and it is great!

I know more about eating cheesecake than baking them , but I have made a few. What i have noticed in common among cheesecakes labled"New York" style is that they are very dense, creamy, and thick/tall. They use all cream cheese, as opposed to ricotta cheese like Italian-style cheesecakes. They are much, much more expensive to make than a regular cake of the same size and height. I personally do not like chocolate with my cheesecake, unless it's white chocolate, but I have seen them both with ganache and straight melted chocolate on top. If she said "hard" then that wouldn't be ganache; even chilled ganache is only firm, not "hard", but you definitely wouldn't want 1/2" thick straight chocolate, either. That would be impossible to slice ; it would need to be a very thin layer. You could do 1/2" ganache, but I think that's too much. You'd better clarify exactly what she means for the topping.

If you need a taste tester, feel free to send over some samples...

Thanks everyone for the tips and advice. I've been avoiding looking at this thread because I'm scared to do the cake and don't want to deal with it! LOL And you know what will happen......tomorrow when I'm FORCED to deal with it because she needs it by Friday, CC will be down!!!

I had no idea how expensive it was to make cheesecake.....definitely she will be supplying ingredients. I have to call her today to confirm about the chocolate anyway; I just wish I'd clarified that earlier; I think it looks tacky to have not gotten all the info. I needed the first time, but since I've never done a cheesecake before, I really didn't know what to ask.

So if she does indeed want hard chocolate do I just melt it and spread, and let it run down the sides a little? I got the Ghiradelli semi-sweet baking chips (so I certainly hope that's what she wants!) Sorry, I just know NOTHING about cheesecakes.

Thanks again everyone!

First I make the cheesecake, let it cool off in the fridge for 4 hours then I put a little bit of butter on my finger and run it around the side where the chocolate is going to be, or I put parchment around it, then I just melt the chocolate and pour it on the cake while it's still in the springform pan. I let the chocolate cool a little bit before pouring it on. Then back in the fridge till the chocolate is hard. then unmold the pan. HTH

If I read my cheesecake cookbook correctly....the difference in a NY style cheesecake is the crust - it is a spongecake crust not a grahm cracker or cookie crust. Don't know if that's the only difference

My NY cheesecake is really dense also and heavy. (sorry, it's one of the very few recipes I don't share since I promised I wouldn't.)

I can give you a tip I learned which has saved me a lot of hassle. When using the springform pan the bottom part need to be flipped over so it is a perfectly flat surface with no ridge. Put parchment paper on top and have come out about 2 - 3 inches around the pan, then spray with non stick spray and make your cheesecake. When you need take it out of the pan just open up the sides carefully and remove the collar. You can then shimmy the parchment paper off carefully or use a thin spatula to work slightly under a small section of it until it start to move easily.
This way you can box it up with less hassles.

If you are worried about cracking follow the advice above. Do not cover the bottom of the pan though and submerge in water to keep it from cracking. This works, but also changes the texture of the cheesecake.

I want to respond, although it is past the time for you making your cheesecake.
I have several good recipes but the Alton Brown recipe is soooo good, you have to take a look at his video, step by step...anyone can do it and you don't need a spring form pan (I hate them).
Here is his video