Cheesecake is one of America's favorite dessert, may it be paired with coffee or served after a hearty meal, it is difficult to say no to a slice of creamy and dense cheesecake.
Cheesecakes have evolved throughout the years, and many pastry chefs gave their own spin on the delicious dessert. From ultra-light to fruity to sugar-free to burnt ones, here are some of the best cheesecakes in America.
Eileen's Special Cheesecake in New York, New York
Eileen's serve one of the best New York-style cheesecake. The owner, Eileen Avezzano, is considered as an institution, as she makes classic cheesecakes from her SoHo shop since 1975.
Eileen makes her light and creamy cakes in more than 40 flavors, a new one added every year, with at least 25 flavors on the menu at all times.
From Maker's Mark to Orange Marble to Sugar-Free Rocky Road, Eileen has it all. She can also accommodate a special flavor not on the menu. If you can't decide between the flavors, you can try their sampler plate.
Maurice in Portland, Oregon
Pastry chef Kristen D. Murray was encouraged by then-head chef Marcus Samuelsson to develop her own unique approach to cooking. The result of this is Maurice's Black Pepper Cheesecake, which Murray says epitomized her whimsical style.
Murray said that she likes the juxtaposition of a light cheesecake with hand-cracked pepper to further help digestion and cut the fat that most associate with cheesecake. Murray's recipe uses equal parts cream cheese, lemon juice, vanilla, aquavit, and homemade crème fraîche.
Zanze Cheesecake in San Francisco, California
Sam Zanze, the 82-year-old owner of Zanze's Cheesecake, believes that a good item will always work as long as it is very good. In his cake, his cheesecakes.
For the past 36 years, he's been making cheesecakes that are not overly sweet, very delicate, not heavy at all, and with a very good aftertaste. He was able to learn his famous crust-less European-style cheesecake from his father, a Croatian who trained with German pastry chefs.
Zanze's shop does not have a website and is only open four days a week. Zanze keeps his menu simple, with optional toppings like sour cherries in kirsch or chocolate shavings.
Tatte Bakery & Cafe in Boston, Massachusetts
Tatte Bakery & Cafe chef and owner Tzurit Or said that she started baking when she was 9. Her mother made her a cake every other week and that she used to hide the crust from her because she could not resist eating it all.
This inspired her to create her own cake, and her fluffy and light vanilla cheesecake is a best seller. The cheesecake has a creamy texture and flavor, far from the traditional American cheesecake.
Commander's Palace in New Orleans, Louisiana
Commander's Palace is famous for its Creole Cream Cheese Cheesecake, which takes five days to make. The recipe is more than 20 years old, and it was first developed by the late Chef Jamie Shannon. Creole is cream cheese made with milk from local cows who spend their days feasting on the salty marsh grass.
On the first day, the milk is mixed with vegetable rennet, and it is left to rest at room temperature for 48 hours. On the third day, it rests for another 24 hours in the refrigerator. On the fourth day, chefs make the batter and leave it to sit for another day. Then it is baked.
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