Bushra Griffith
Cheesecake is a dessert made with cheese as its main ingredient. The type of cheese used varies depending on the region and style of cheesecake. For example, New York-style cheesecakes use cream cheese, while Italian cheesecakes use ricotta or mascarpone. Other types of cheese used in cheesecakes include cottage cheese, Swiss cheese, and quark. Cheesecakes can be broadly categorized into two types: baked and unbaked, and they often have a crust made from graham crackers, digestive biscuits, or shortbread.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Cream cheese, ricotta, mascarpone, quark, cottage cheese, Swiss cheese, parmesan, feta, eggs, sugar, sour cream, heavy cream, flour, vanilla, chocolate, fruit, graham crackers, butter |
| Styles | Baked, unbaked, New York-style, Italian-style, Chicago-style, Jewish-style, German-style, Bavarian-style, British-style, South African-style, Polish-style, Viennese-style, Russian-style |
| Crust | Graham crackers, digestive biscuits, Oreo cookies, Biscoff, shortbread |
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What You'll Learn
Baked vs. unbaked cheesecakes
Cheesecakes can be broadly categorized into two types: baked and unbaked. While both types have a lot in common, there are some key differences between the two.
Baked Cheesecakes
Baked cheesecakes are cooked in an oven and have a denser texture and a fuller flavor than their unbaked counterparts. The baking process gives the cheesecake a silky consistency and a firmer texture. Baked cheesecakes usually have eggs added to the cream cheese mixture. As the cheesecake bakes in the oven, the raw eggs firm up and give the dessert structure. Baked cheesecakes are made in a variety of styles depending on the region. For example, Chicago-style cheesecake is a baked cream cheese version that is firm on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. The crust is typically made from shortbread that is crushed and mixed with sugar and butter.
Unbaked Cheesecakes
Unbaked cheesecakes are made by simply mixing the ingredients and storing the dessert in the refrigerator. They have a lighter, softer, and fluffier texture, often more like a pudding or mousse. Unbaked cheesecakes are perfect for when you need to use the oven for other dishes or when it is too hot to cook indoors. They also tend to have a shorter shelf life than baked cheesecakes. Unbaked cheesecakes can be made with a variety of ingredients, such as cream cheese, sugar, and whipped topping. They often have a crust made from crushed cookies or graham crackers.
Both baked and unbaked cheesecakes offer unique advantages and can be customized with different ingredients and preparation methods. The type of cheesecake you choose to make depends on your personal preference, the desired texture and flavor, and the equipment and time available.
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Crust or crustless
Cheesecakes can be made with or without a crust. Crustless cheesecakes include Basque cheesecake, which is made of burnt custard, and Viennese-style cheesecake.
Cheesecakes with crusts typically have a base made from crushed cookies, digestive biscuits, graham crackers, pastry, or sponge cake. Graham cracker crust is a popular choice, made from a combination of graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. The crust is typically baked before the filling is added.
Some cheesecakes, such as no-bake cheesecakes, have crumb crusts that are not baked. Crusts for no-bake cheesecakes may be made from graham crackers, Biscoff cookies, or Oreos.
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Types of cheese used
Cheesecake is a dessert that has been enjoyed for centuries, with its earliest mention dating back to ancient Greece. Over time, different variations of the dish have emerged, each with its unique ingredients and preparation methods. One of the key ingredients in cheesecakes is cheese, and the type of cheese used can vary depending on regional preferences and cultural influences. Here are some of the commonly used types of cheese in cheesecakes:
Cream Cheese
Cream cheese is a popular choice for cheesecakes, especially in the United States. It is a soft, unripened cheese with a creamy texture and mild flavour. Modern commercial American cream cheese was developed in 1872 by William Lawrence from Chester, New York. New York-style or Jewish-style cheesecakes, which gained popularity in the 1930s, are known for using a cream cheese base. Chicago-style cheesecakes, which have a firm exterior and soft, creamy interior, also use cream cheese.
Ricotta
Ricotta cheese is another favourite for cheesecake-making. It is a soft, fresh cheese with a rich and light texture. Italian-style cheesecakes typically use ricotta cheese, resulting in a slightly more tart flavour. Combining ricotta with cream cheese is also a well-liked option for cheesecakes.
Neufchâtel
Neufchâtel is a soft French cheese that inspired the creation of American cream cheese. It is considered a gold standard for cheese-based desserts and is commonly used in sweet cheesecakes.
Mascarpone
Mascarpone is a soft, creamy cheese often used in Italian desserts such as cannoli. Adding mascarpone to cheesecakes can enhance their flavour and texture, making them richer and smoother.
Quark (Twaróg)
Quark, known as "twaróg" in Polish, is a type of curd cheese used in German and Polish cheesecakes. It is similar to Icelandic skyr and results in a delicious, light cheesecake. Polish cheesecakes, or "sernik", often use quark and are based more on eggs and butter without the addition of cream or sour cream.
Cottage Cheese
While cottage cheese was used in earlier cheese pie recipes, its texture is not favoured by everyone in cheesecakes. However, some modern cheesecakes may still include it, sometimes in combination with cream cheese.
The type of cheese used in cheesecakes can vary depending on regional preferences and the desired flavour and texture. These cheeses can be used individually or in combination to create unique cheesecake flavours and consistencies.
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Regional variations
Cheesecake is a dessert that has travelled far and wide, with regional variations found all over the world. The type of cheese used in cheesecakes varies according to the region in which it is baked and the cultural background of the baker.
United States
The United States has several different recipes for cheesecake, including the famous New York-style or Jewish-style cheesecake, which uses a cream cheese base. This style of cheesecake was made famous by establishments such as Reuben's Restaurant and kosher-style Jewish deli Lindy's, which was opened by German-Jewish immigrant Leo Lindermann in 1921. New York-style cheesecake contains more cream cheese, as well as heavy cream or sour cream, to create its rich, creamy texture. Chicago-style cheesecake is another baked cream cheese version that is firm on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside.
United Kingdom
The English name 'cheesecake' has been used only since the 15th century, and the earliest extant cheesecake recipes are found in Cato the Elder's De Agri Cultura, which includes recipes for three cakes for religious uses. A more modern version called a sambocade, made with elderflower and rose water, is found in Forme of Cury, an English cookbook from 1390. On this basis, the English chef Heston Blumenthal argues that cheesecake is an English invention. One regional variation of cheesecake in the United Kingdom is the Yorkshire Curd Tart, which is made from a mixture of curd cheese, eggs, butter, and currants, flavoured with lemon zest and nutmeg, and baked in a pastry case.
Europe
European cheesecakes traditionally used yeast, but in the 18th century, Europeans began removing yeast and adding beaten eggs to the cheesecake instead. With the overpowering yeast flavour gone, the result tasted more like a dessert treat. In Germany, Russischer Zupfkuchen (Russian "pulled" cake) is a baked cheesecake with a cocoa crust base and edge, with chocolate dough scattered over the cheesecake filling. In Poland, Sernik, with 'ser' meaning "cheese", is a baked cheesecake dating back to the 17th century. It uses twaróg (traditional Polish quark) and is based more on eggs and butter, without cream or sour cream. Variations include sernik krakowski (Kraków-style), with a lattice crust on top, and królewski (king's), made from cocoa crust on the top and bottom of the cheesecake filling. In Switzerland, Chäschüechli (ramequin in French-speaking parts of the country) are small cheesecake tartlets, savoury rather than sweet.
Asia
Japanese cheesecake, or soufflé-style or cotton cheesecake, is made with cream cheese, butter, sugar, and eggs, and has a characteristically wobbly, airy texture, similar to chiffon cake. No-bake cheesecakes are known as rare cheesecake in Japan. The most prominent version of cheesecake in the Philippines is ube cheesecake, which is made with a base of crushed graham crackers and an upper layer of cream cheese and ube halaya (mashed purple yam with milk, sugar, and butter). Turkish cheesecake offers a distinctive combination of textures and flavours, comprising a layer of unsalted cheese, sometimes enriched with kaymak (Turkish clotted cream), sandwiched between two layers of fine pastry strands called tel kadayıf, which have been coated in melted butter so that they stick together.
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Historical development
The history of cheesecake goes back thousands of years. Physical anthropologists have found cheese moulds on the Greek island of Samos that date back to circa 2,000 BC, and cheese products are likely to have been around for thousands of years before this.
The first cheesecakes are thought to have been created by the ancient Greeks in the 5th century BC (circa 776 BC). This rudimentary cheesecake was made with patties of fresh cheese, pounded smooth with flour and honey, and baked on an earthenware griddle. The dish was considered a good source of energy, and there is evidence that it was served to athletes during the first Olympic Games. It was also used as a wedding cake.
The earliest mention of a cheesecake is by the Greek physician Aegimus in the 5th century BC, who wrote a book on the art of making cheesecakes. The earliest extant cheesecake recipes are found in Cato the Elder's De Agri Cultura, which includes recipes for three cakes for religious uses: libum, savillum, and placenta. Of these, the placenta cake is the most like modern cheesecakes, having a separately prepared and baked crust.
During the late medieval ages in Europe, cheesecake transformed to include a pastry base in a tart form. The first English cookbook, written in 1390, included multiple variations of the cheesecake recipe that included eggs and various flavour profiles. For the next five centuries, almost every English cookbook included at least one cheesecake recipe.
In the 1730s, Philadelphia became home to the "Cheesecake House" tavern. In the 19th century, cheesecake recipes began to feature more subtle ingredients like lemon and vanilla. In the 1870s, modern commercial American cream cheese was developed by William Lawrence, who was searching for a way to recreate the soft, French cheese Neufchâtel. By the 1930s, traditional curd cheese was phased out and replaced with cream cheese, creating a creamier, richer, and tastier treat. This was the birth of the New York cheesecake, which is known for its extra egg yolks in the creamy cheesecake mix.
Today, cheesecakes are broadly categorized into two types: baked and unbaked. They come in a variety of styles based on region. For example, a popular variant of cheesecake in South Africa is made with whipped cream, cream cheese, gelatin for the filling, and a buttered digestive biscuit crust. It is not baked and is sometimes made with Amarula liqueur.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, cheese is used in cheesecakes. While some use cream cheese, many other parts of the world use actual cheese to create this dessert masterpiece.
Different types of cheese are used in cheesecakes depending on the region and style. For example, New York-style cheesecakes use cream cheese, while Italian cheesecakes use ricotta or mascarpone. Other types of cheese used in cheesecakes include cottage cheese, quark, and Swiss cheese.
In addition to cheese, cheesecakes typically include eggs, sugar, and sour cream or heavy cream. Some recipes may also call for flour, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and various flavourings such as chocolate, fruit, or caramel.
While cheese is a key ingredient in traditional cheesecakes, there are vegan alternatives that do not use dairy products, including cheese. These vegan cheesecakes often use plant-based alternatives to achieve a similar taste and texture.
