Individual New York Cheesecakes
A classic New York-style cheesecake with a light, creamy texture. Baking them individually helps prevent surface cracking.
Ingredients
cream cheese (softened)
16 ounces (450 grams)
sugar
1 cup
vanilla extract
2 teaspoons
large eggs (at room temperature)
4
large egg white
1
sour cream
1 (8-ounce/225-gram) container
Fresh strawberries (halved, and/or other berries for finishing)
to taste
Instructions
1
Step 1
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 300°F (150°C).
2
Step 2
Combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat with the paddle on medium speed until well mixed, about 1 minute.
3
Step 3
Decrease the speed to low and beat in one of the eggs. After the egg is incorporated, stop and scrape down the bowl and paddle. Repeat for the remaining eggs and egg white, one at a time. Beat in the sour cream.
4
Step 4
Spoon the batter into the prepared molds, filling them to within ¼ inch (6 mm) of the top.
5
Step 5
Place the jelly-roll pan in the oven and add about 2 cups of warm water to surround the outside of the cheesecake molds. Bake until firm and slightly puffed, 25 to 30 minutes.
6
Step 6
After the cheesecakes are ready, turn off the oven and leave the door ajar. If your oven has a strong spring that snaps the door shut, place a wide metal spatula or other non-flammable object perpendicular to the door to prop it open 4 to 6 inches. Leave the cheesecakes in the partially open oven for an additional 35 to 40 minutes.
7
Step 7
Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the individual ramekins to a small flat pan or tray covered with parchment paper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled.
