Cheesecake
Cheesecake is not a cake. It’s a rich custard pie with the base of a soft cheese.
There are many different kinds of cheesecakes. The recipes here are for sweet, dessert-type cheesecakes.
Instant Pot Cheesecake
Making this in an Instant Pot or similar electric multi-cooker makes the whole thing super easy, and has a lot of advantages over an oven. You don’t have to cook it in a water bath, meaning there is no chance that water will get into the springform pan, and also you don’t have to deal with a quart or more of boiling water in the oven. The tiny amount of water you add to the instant pot is enough because of how tightly the environment is sealed. It also keeps a nice constant 250°F, which is nice and gentle, yielding a very creamy cheesecake.
As multiple online recipes recommend, rather than a springform pan, use a removeable bottom cheesecake pan from Fat Daddio. The measurements below are for a 5” pan. Double all ingredients if you want to use a 7” pan. Anything larger, you’re not going to fit in a 6 quart Instant Pot.
Ingredients:
Crust:
- 3 (36g) graham crackers, finely ground
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons (10g) brown sugar
- 12g all-purpose flour
Cheesecake Batter:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (68g) white sugar
- 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (8g) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinches salt
Hardware
- 5” (single batch) or 7” (double batch) removeable bottom cheesecake pan or springform pan
- parchment paper, cut into a round to line the bottom of the pan, and strips to line the edges
Directions:
Crust
- In a bowl, mix graham crackers crumbs, brown sugar, and flour
- Mix in melted butter until the mixture sticks together.
- Line the sides and bottom of cheesecake pan with parchment paper.
- Add crumbs mixture to cheescake pan. Gently press down the crumbs into the bottom and flatten.
- Blind-bake crust in a 325°F oven for 15 minutes. Cool completely.
Batter
- Add white sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a small bowl. Mix to combine.
- To a second, larger bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream, and vanilla and mix with electric hand mixer for 10 seconds with a hand on low speed.
- Add in half the sugar mixture to cream cheese and continue to beat on low speed until just incorporated. Add remaining sugar mixture and continue to beat on low speed until just incorporated.
- Add egg(s) one at a time. Continue to beat until just incorporated.
- Add batter to fully cooled pan with crust.
- Tap the pan against the counter to let air bubbles rise to the surface.
Cook, cool, and serve
- Add 1 cup of boiling water to pressure cooker.
- Pre-heat pressure cooker covered on “saute” mode for 5-10 minutes.
- Add cheesecake pan on the steamer rack in pressure cooker.
- Seal, and pressure cook for 28 minutes. Wait for natural release. Wait a total of 10 minutes or so before opening.
- Remove from pressure cooker. Place cheesecake on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
- After cooling for 15 minutes, run a thin paring knife between the pan and parchment.
- Chill cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight).
Notes:
- Original recipe: https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/instant-pot-cheesecake-new-york/, which appears to be similar to Junior’s cheesecake recipe, but sour cream is used instead of heavy cream, and the ratios are a little different. And this uses a graham cracker crust, which I prefer and is easier.
Casciatelli Pie
Better, in my opinion, to Casciatelli themselves. More of the best part: the filling. The slightly sweet, aromatic ricotta filling makes for a lighter cheesecake than American varieties.
Ingredients:
Directions
- Roll out Casciatelli crust to be larger than the cake pan you’re baking this in by 2”
- Add crust to buttered and floured pan, pressing into the corners. Dock with fork.
- Pour filling into crust
- Bake at 425°F for 45 minutes, or until just set
- Cool to room temperature. Serve.