Cheesecake Research Paper

Cheesecake is a rich and sweet dessert dish consisting of one or more layers. Cheesecake is enjoyed all around the world in different forms and styles and can be traced back as far as ancient Greece even before Roman conquest. An ancient manuscript written by Greek physician Aegimus explains the process of making cheesecake. Throughout the years several recipes relating to cheesecake can be found throughout different European countries. Our recipe we use is an American cheesecake. It differs from its European counterpart in several aspects including preparation and cheese used. While both use cheese, American cheesecake uses a sweeter and denser form of cheese, most commonly cream cheese. Most European including Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands

use quark, more consistent with cheese curd or farmers cheese and lighter and less sweet than American cream cheese. France uses Neufchatel cheese, a soft, crumbly, and mold ripened cheese.

William Lawrence, from Chester, New York, invented cheesecake and cream cheese in 1872.

Lawrence was looking for a way to make French Neufchatel cheese and instead came up with a much denser cheese now commonly known as cream cheese. American cheesecake can vary slightly depending on region and style. The most common form of American cheesecake is the New York Style cheesecake. New York style cheesecake usually consists of a heavier and denser cream cheese than other regional cheesecakes within the states. The other forms of cheesecake that can be found throughout the U.S. is Pennsylvania Dutch cheesecake, which is slightly tangier than other forms and uses farmers cheese. Philadelphia cheesecake is much lighter than New York or Pennsylvania Dutch cheesecake. The South commonly makes a country style cheesecake that gets its tangy flavor from the use of buttermilk and then there is Chicago style cheesecake that is much firmer on the outside than other types of cheesecakes and has a very soft and creamy texture on the outside. American style cheesecake is similar in its construction. All American cheesecakes use some sort of heavy cream or sour cream to make a richer and denser cheese filling than its European counterpart. They are all baked in a spring form

pan.

We made an American cheesecake in class using a graham cracker crust. The crust is molded together using a simple streusel method. By combining butter and sugar with the graham crackers we create crumbly and sweet dough that will then be molded into the spring form. The filling is made by combining a sugar and cream cheese mixture with eggs and sour cream. It is important that the cream cheese has been softened in order to mix the filling to a smooth consistency and avoid clumping. Once the cream cheese and sugar mixture has been fully incorporated together eggs are added slowly to the mixture slowly. Eggs are added slowly so that they incorporate fully and we are not left with a dough that has large egg clumps throughout it. Finally sour cream is added to thefilling to make it richer in flavor and denser making it a true American cheesecake finally.

Once the filling and crust have been finished the filling is poured into the mold with the crust and is baked in hot water bath at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hot water baking can take anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour depending on size.. The hot water bath helps to cook the filling and aids in the cheesecake setting fully in its mold. It is also necessary to cook cheesecake this way to avoid browning or burning of the cheese like you would if you baked it in an oven. After the cheesecake has finished baking it is placed in the fridge to finish setting and is served cold. These are the basic steps to creating an American style cheesecake. The process is the same with all styles but can differ slightly due to cheese used and addition of other ingredients and flavors wanted for certain

profiles.