New York Style Cheesecake
My Gluten and Lactose Free Version
Cheesecake is one of my family’s favorite desserts. After the changing of our lifestyle, I had to create a gluten and lactose free version. This cheesecake is not paleo because I made its base from store bought gluten free butter biscuit that contains corn flour. Lactose-free cream cheese is not paleo as well because it is not dairy free. This cheesecake is a compromise.
People with gluten and lactose intolerance can eat this cake safely.
I baked my cheesecake in Instant Pot (IP). This is the simplest method. I bake it in IP for 1 hour and its top is pretty smooth, not cracking. It is easy to make but requires a long cooling time. Make it in advance, a day before you want to serve.
Tip!
It is easy to make but requires a long cooling time. Make it in advance, a day before you want to serve.
Cheesecake has long history
The first known cheesecake recipe was recorded in about 230 A.D. by Greek writer Athenaeus. Later, the Roman conquest armies introduced the recipe to Britain and Europe. Cheesecake became very popular in North and Northwestern Europe in about 1000 A.D. A British cookbook from the mid 16th century includes a cheesecake recipe also.
New York Cheesecake
Cheesecakes were very popular in New York in the 1900s. Every restaurant made their own version. New Yorkers say the real and perfect cheesecake comes from New York. In 1929, the owner of the Turf Restaurant in Manhattan, Arnold Reuben claimed that his family developed the first cream-cheese cake recipe. It is not true, but no doubt that version is super delicious. It is no coincidence that became world famous.
New York cheesecake is very simple. It is made from pure cream cheese, cream, eggs and sugar. It does not have any special ingredients in it and its top is not decorated. I made my cheesecake for Valentine’s Day. Can you imagine a cake is not decorated on this day?
New York Style Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the base
- 140 gram gluten free butter biscuits
- 4 tbsp butter melted
- 1 pinch salt
For the filling
- 400 gram lactose free cream cheese
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour
- 4 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 5 tbsp lactose free sour cream
For decoration
- 200 gram blueberry
- 200 gram strawberry
- 2 tsp honey
- 4 tsp gelatin
- 4 tbsp water
Instructions
- Put biscuits into food processor and pulse for 2-3 minutes, until become crumbs.
- Put crumbs into a bowl, add salt, melted butter and combine.
- Press crumb mixture with a spoon into the bottom of the spring form round cake tin and about 2-2.5 cm up the sides. Place into the freezer until prepare the filling.
- Put cream cheese, tapioca flour, honey, vanilla extract, salt and lemon zest in a bowl. Combine them with electric hand mixer (or stand mixer if you have it) for 1-2 minutes until creamy.
- Add eggs, one at a time.
- Add sour cream and mix for ½ - 1 minute, until homogeneous.
- Pour cream cheese mixture into the crust in the cake tin.
- Wrap the cake tin around with aluminum foil and cover the top also. It has to be waterproof.
- Pour 250ml water into the Instant Pot and put steaming rack on the bottom.
- Place the wrapped and covered cake tin on the rack. Lock the lid and turn the vent to seal position. Bake/cook the cheesecake on manual high pressure for 60 minutes.
- Turn off the Instant Pot and allow naturally release.
- Remove the cake tin from the IP, remove the aluminum foil and leave the cheesecake to cool to room temperature. It’s about 3-4 hours. Then put it in the fridge to cool for some hours, it’s better for overnight.
- Make decoration (optional). Mix strawberry in a blender, press over a sieve. Melt gelatin in warm water. Add gelatin and 1 tsp honey, combine. Spread the mixture on a nonstick sheet. Repeat this method with the blueberry also. Leave them to harden for 1.5 hours or overnight together with the cheesecake. After chilling, cut heart shapes or any other shapes from the gelatins and decorate your cake with them.
- Remove the cheesecake gently from the tin. Help with a knife. Decoration is optional. The original New York Cheesecake is not decorated. Serve and enjoy!
