Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
Serves 10-12
For the cookie crust
- 200g (7 oz) speculoos cookies
- 100g (7 tbsp) melted butter
For the cheese filling
- 620g (2¾ cups) fromage blanc
- 150g (⅔ cup) cream cheese like Philadelphia (גבינת שמנת)
- 100g (scant ½ cup) vanilla mascarpone cream
- juice (100ml/⅓ cup) and zest of one or two lemons
- 2 tbsp cornstarch diluted in 2 tbsp water
- 4 eggs
- 170g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) brown sugar
- a few drops vanilla extract (optional)
Cheesecake is rarely light, but this one is the result of adjustments and testing various recipes, and it’s loved by everyone who’s tried it. I wanted a creamy cake that wasn’t too heavy or too sweet. A delicious speculoos crust and a light drizzle of caramel sauce.
It’s really easy to succeed if you follow the steps carefully, especially the baking—that’s what makes all the difference in texture. I’ve included all the tips for a beautiful result.
Preparing the New York-Style Cheesecake
For the speculoos crust
- Pulse the speculoos cookies in a food processor to reduce them to a sandy powder. Add the melted butter.
- Mix and spread evenly over the bottom of a springform pan. You can use the back of a spoon or glass to press lightly on the surface for a smooth base. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Preparing the cheese filling
- In a large bowl, mix the fromage blanc with the sugar, lemon juice and zest, then the cream cheese, mascarpone, and diluted cornstarch. Finish by adding the eggs one at a time. Mix until smooth and homogeneous but don’t overmix.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) conventional heat. Put about 1-2 cm (½ inch) of water in a baking pan so you can place your springform pan in it—the cake will bake in a water bath. Important: if you’re using a springform pan, you must wrap the outside with aluminum foil so water doesn’t seep into your cake!
- Pour the cheese filling over the speculoos crust and bake for 1 hour. The filling should be set, almost firm but still slightly jiggly. It will set completely as it cools and then in the refrigerator. Turn off the oven and let it cool inside for at least 35 minutes.
Enjoy well chilled, plain or lightly drizzled with caramel sauce, berry coulis, or homemade cherry syrup.
Tips and planning
This cheesecake keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator and is even better the next day. It freezes well once cooled, wrapped airtight (it will keep 1-3 months). Just reheat in the oven for about 10 minutes at 200°C (400°F).
The secret to a beautifully white cake is baking it in a water bath on the rack above the bottom of the oven using conventional heat.
If you don’t have a springform pan and want a clean release, line your pan with parchment paper (I cut a circle for the bottom and strips for the sides, securing them with a bit of melted butter). Once the cake has cooled, put it in the freezer before unmolding (a hair dryer to warm the bottom of the pan works great).
The low oven temperature combined with the cornstarch helps achieve a crack-free cake.
To learn more about dairy product equivalents in Israel, check out my article on dairy products in Israel
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If you love cheesecakes, discover the traditional Ashkenazi cheese cake