Creamy Cheesecake

by Eddy Van Damme on March 18, 2013

cheesecake

 

Philadelphia Cream cheese is indeed one of the few cheeses which make it possible to create smooth, delectable and creamy cheesecake. However, using a large percentage of this type of cheese for the production of cheesecake, can result in cakes which tend to be a bit heavy for today’s consumer. Therefore I prefer to mix a rather large amount of Greek Yogurt into the cheese mixture. It makes it lighter, while at the same time making it superbly creamy. Greek yogurt also provides a slight tangy flavor found in cream cheese.

When I teach cheesecakes, I have noticed that students tend to pay close attention to the demos and instruction. As is the case with so many things, something as simple as cheesecake is not that simple at all. Oftentimes cheesecakes result in products which “glue” to our palate.

Key things to remember when making cheesecake:

  1. Use cream cheese which is at room temperature. It cuts the amount of time that the mixture will be mixed. Long mixing times breaks down cream cheese and results in a thin batter and consequently a crumbly cheesecake.
  2. Mix on lowest speed possible. Mixing on medium or high speed incorporates air cells. This “soufflés” the cheesecake during baking, but since there is no starch present, it will collapse when removed from oven. This makes it not only unsightly, but it also creates a dry feel in the mouth.
  3. Use a Bain Marie and low temperatures when baking. It creates a superior smooth textured cheesecake.
  4. This recipe does not allow freezing of the cake.

cheese cake

Cheesecake

Yield: 12-14 servings.

1 lb 8 oz Cream cheese, Philadelphia 720 g
9 oz Extra fine granulated sugar 270 g
5 Large eggs 5
1tsp Vanilla extract 5 ml
.25 oz Lemon zest 9 g
1 lb 4 oz Fage, Greek Yogurt 600 g
       
       

 

  1. Choose a 20 cm (8 inch) spring form pan wrapped in 3 ply aluminum foil or for a plated dessert use a frame placed on 3 ply aluminum foil. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with extra granulated sugar. Set aside.
  2. On lowest speed using a paddle attachment mix room temperature cheese and sugar. When smooth and lump free ad one egg at a time waiting for previous added egg to be fully incorporated.
  3. Add vanilla, lemon zest and yogurt and mix to combine.
  4. Pour into buttered and sugared molds of choice and place in Bain Marie, bake at 325°F (160°C) until center of cheesecake no longer trembles. Time will depend on pan used.
  5. Unmold next day onto a prebaked crust of choice.

 

 

32 comments on “Creamy Cheesecake

  1. Carlton Brooks on said:

    If using a frame what size is recommended?

  2. Most cheesecake recipes calls for sour cream to achieve a less heavier cheesecake. I’ve never thought of using Greek yogurt which is a great and healthy alternative! Thanks chef!

  3. Raymond Estrada on said:

    chef, Greek Yogurt has high in protein. I found out about it in the grocery store. It is a good idea that you add one for the first time.

  4. Trendalynn Austin on said:

    I think the greek yogurt idea is better because normally I make cheesecake it does seem too thick for me.. now thinking about it maybe I will try different flavor yogurts to give the cheesecake a more fruity flavor.

  5. mona robinson` on said:

    I made this cheesecake, and it came out delicious. Good looking out Chef!

  6. Mercy Boynton on said:

    My daughters and myself really like cheese cake but as you said, when it is made the “conventional” way it does tend to be a bit heavy, so Greek yogurt does seem a lighter and healthier alternative to using just cream cheese. Will have to try this at home and post how it faired.

  7. Amy Taylor on said:

    I love cheesecake, but I do not like the heaviness/sugar overload. I want to try this with the greek yogurt because I feel like it would be much lighter and a lot easier to eat.

  8. Andrea fields on said:

    I make cheese cake alot, my mother love it i am going to try it with the greek yogurt and see if she likes it.

  9. Sharyll Crawford on said:

    I made the cheesecake recipe from On Baking(not sure if it’s the same one), and it was fantastic! I love cheesecake and im glad I have a recipe at home i can make now. The only bad thing was that i cut it a little too early and some of it fell. 🙁 Next time i know better

  10. Lanz Doreza on said:

    Hey chef, i was wondering that when this type of cheesecake is baked in the oven, is it still preferable to have a much darker top or a top that is the same color as the rest of the body?

  11. Arunee Mongkhonsiri on said:

    I made cheesecake with yogurt and sour cream mixed together, it was wonderful. The test was very good and the texture was smooth and creamy. It is a light and delicious creasscake.

  12. Anthony on said:

    this recipe is perfect! alot of cheesecakes that i eat are kinda heavy so the incorporation of greek yogurt to make it lighter is intriguing. I like my cheesecakes to be tangy also so this should be a wonderful cheesecake to try.

  13. Joy Arriola on said:

    My family love cheesecake, but my mom can’t have any because has milk in it. Too Bad that Philadelphia Cream cheese have lactose free.

  14. Katerina Kyriazis on said:

    I made a cheesecake in my Fundamentals of Baking class last Saturday and I really loved the light texture that it had, much lighter than the commercial cheesecake found in some restaurants. I found it interesting that the recipe I used on Saturday, as well as yours, called to place the baked and set cheesecake onto a pre-baked crust, which I have never done before.

  15. Renae Holman Murti on said:

    Why can’t you freeze this cheesecake?

  16. Mary Lorraine Matiling on said:

    I’ve only tried one Cheesecake recipe and I was a little discourage after when it didn’t set right. I doubled the recipe and it came out to be so flat but after reading yours, i’ll definitely give it another try. Maybe just do one batch at a time instead of two hehe.

  17. Nhu Ta on said:

    When were using the greek yogurt can we use any kind of flavor or does it have to be plain? Would the different flavor show up in the taste of the cheesecake or it doesn’t matter at all? I love the strawberry greek yogurt so if that flavor actually show up in the cheesecake it would be very good!

  18. cynthia smith on said:

    I made pleny of cheesecake never baked just refrigerated that was somthing new to me

  19. Twyana Jackson on said:

    I have seen so many different recipes for cheese cakes. This was my first time seeing yogurt instead of sour cream. Could this be made as chocolate instead of vanilla?

  20. Sherri Atlas on said:

    “Hands down” This is the lightest creamiest cheesecake I have ever eaten. Why would I want to eat anything else? The recipe is perfection. Really, chef eddy, this is the kind of dessert that wows people. I really enjoyed utilizing it the other day with the dulce de leche and the fruit sauces.

  21. Erica Harrell on said:

    This was one the best cheesecakes i have ever had. Very creamy and smooth, I liked the gingerbread crust but I’m not a fan of the shortbread. I was to dry and not sweet enough for my taste. It could have been because the oven was to low. I’d like to try it again.

  22. Adriana Ordonez on said:

    In my group we did two cheesecake. The first one we did we use this recipe and the second one someone in my group forgot to add vanilla to the mixture, and the flavor for both cheesecake were completely different. The flavor for the first cheesecake was better than the second one. For my experience, vanilla is an ingredient that gives a better flavor to the cheesecake.

  23. Jenny Dzoba on said:

    The cheesecake we made in class was definitely one of the better ones I’ve ever had–it was tangy yet sweet and not too thick. I think our crust could have been rolled a little bit thinner though because it was pretty difficult to cut through it to get a bit of crust and cheesecake at the same time.

  24. Abiel Guerrero on said:

    Loved the lightness that this cheescake gets, It truly almost refreshes the palet. Thanks for this recipe chef

  25. Melissa Lambert on said:

    Prepared cheesecake portion size that was done in plated dessert was still just to much for me. I enjoyed the cheesecake it was one of the cream, smooth cheesecake I had ever eaten. It’s was delish.

  26. Amalia posada on said:

    I’m used to using 100 percent cream cheese, I’ve never heard of Greek yogurt, have you tried regular yogurt!? What would the difference be?

  27. Eileen Mier on said:

    I simply loved this recipe. In the few times I’ve made cheesecake before, each time i was saddened to find my cheesecake had a soggy bottom. Thank you for your tip about baking the crust separately, it really makes a world of difference. I also enjoyed the tea infused shortbread, it was delicious by itself, but with the cheesecake it was divine.

  28. lydia hermandez on said:

    wonderful recipe. my family are big fans of cheesecake. they loved this recipe, with the homemade graham cracker cookie, fresh fruit always takes it over the top.

  29. nereida rios on said:

    This cheesecake is lighter then any of the other cheesecakes ive tried. the addition of the pomegranate raspberry tea to the crust gave this dessert a different but delicious flavor.

  30. Jessica Ximenez on said:

    I have never heard of greek yogurt in cheesecake, but it looks great. I might have to try it for my dad to taste. He love’s cheesecake and keeps telling me I need to learn how to make it. So I might give this a try.

  31. Scot Snodgrass on said:

    This was by far my favorite dessert we made in Plated Desserts. I’ve eaten cheesecakes most of my life all over the country and this was one of the very best.

  32. Ife Ayodele on said:

    How can I incorporate pumpkin in this cheesecake to make pumpkin cheesecake or any other additional flavor?

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