When it comes to cheesecakes, you are entering a world of decadence where every slice has a story to tell. But not all cheesecakes are created equal. Two popular types, Japanese cheesecake and New York cheesecake, are perfect examples of how the same dessert can have two totally different personalities. While both will delight your taste buds, their textures, flavors and methods of preparation are so different that each one is special.
Japanese cheesecake, also known as soufflé cheesecake, is a cloud like dessert that is all about lightness and subtlety. It is airy texture, achieved by whipped egg whites and a gentle baking method, just melts in your mouth.
New York cheesecake is the opposite, it is dense, rich and creamy thanks to the high cream cheese content and has a buttery graham cracker crust to match its intense flavor.
So, do you want the softness of Japanese cheesecake or the creaminess of New York cheesecake?
Japanese cheesecake is famous for its light as air texture, like a soufflé. This lightness is from whipping egg whites to soft peaks and folding them into the batter, so it’s soft and spongy. It is a delicate dessert for those who want something light but satisfying.
New York cheesecake is known for its dense and rich texture. It is thick and creamy, each bite is more indulgent and luxurious. The dense texture is from the heavy cream and cream cheese, so it is much more filling and intense than Japanese cheesecake.
Japanese cheesecake is simple in terms of ingredients. It is all about the balance of cream cheese, eggs, sugar and flour. The simplicity of the ingredients allows the natural flavors to shine through, not too sweet but with a slight tang from the cream cheese.
New York cheesecake is rich with a long ingredient list. Cream cheese is the base, but it is often paired with sour cream, eggs, sugar and sometimes heavy cream. The combination creates a dense, super creamy filling that’s much more indulgent. The heavy cream and sour cream contribute to the rich, velvety texture and the slightly tangy flavor profile.
The flavor of Japanese cheesecake is subtle, soft and elegant. It is balanced between sweet and tangy; the cream cheese is mild, and the egg and sugar are sweet. This creates a flavor profile that is not overpowering but leaves you wanting more with each bite.
New York cheesecake has a bold and intense flavor, driven by the tanginess of the cream cheese and the richness of the heavy cream. The sweetness is more pronounced here and it is creamy and indulgent and lingers longer on the palate.
One of the main differences between Japanese cheesecake and New York cheesecake is the baking method. Japanese cheesecake is baked in a water bath, or bain-marie, so the cheesecake is evenly heated and is moist and delicate. The gentle heat prevents cracks and gives the cake its soft and airy texture.
New York cheesecake is baked at a higher temperature, often without a water bath. The direct heat gives a firm crust and sets the dense filling into a smooth and silky texture. The higher temperature also gives it a thick and creamy consistency.
Japanese cheesecake is crustless, which makes the cake itself the star. The smooth and soft texture is the focus, without the crust to get in the way of the delicate flavors and fluffy texture.
New York cheesecake is all about the buttery and crunchy graham cracker crust. The crust made with crushed graham crackers, sugar and melted butter is a nice contrast to the rich and creamy filling. It adds a textural element to the dense and velvety filling of New York cheesecake and gives the whole dessert an extra layer of flavor and crunch.
Japanese cheesecake rises during the baking process like a soufflé. The whipped egg whites help the batter to expand and rise to a tall and airy cake. But once it is out of the oven and cools, it falls slightly. The cake is still soft and bouncy but the texture becomes slightly more compact.
New York cheesecake does not rise much, it sets into a firm and solid structure. The cheesecake doesn’t puff up, it just sets into a smooth top and keeps its thick and dense appearance throughout the whole baking process. A completely different visual and textural experience.