Cheesecake: all the nuances of a dessert without borders
Cheesecake, a dessert capable of conquering palates all over the world with its irresistible creamy consistency and its multiple flavours, has gained considerable popularity especially in recent decades.
This dessert, today considered a symbol of American pastry, actually has a rich history behind it. By retracing the main stages, in this article we will see how this cake has evolved and adapted to different culinary traditions over the centuries.
The origins of cheesecake
Contrary to what one might think, cheesecake, which today is often associated with American gastronomic tradition, has roots that go deep into European history. The origin of the cheese-based cake dates back to antiquity, with traces leading back to the Greeks and Romans, when cheese-based cakes were already known.
In this sense, the first evidence of cheesecake can be traced back to the texts of Athens, where cheese was mixed with honey and flour to create a dessert similar to the one known today. Subsequently, with the expansion of the Roman Empire and the spread of its culinary habits, these recipes spread throughout Europe, evolving over time.
However, it was with the arrival of European settlers in America that the cheesecake took on its current form. The American version, characterized by the use of spreadable and creamy cheese such as Philadelphia, began to catch on in the 19th century, when cheese producers began to market this product massively. This industrial development led to the evolution of the cheesecake recipe as we know it today, with a base of crushed biscuits and a rich, dense filling.
No-bake cheesecake: a summer must
In recent years, no-bake cheesecake has gained widespread acceptance, especially during the summer months. This type of cheesecake stands out for its simple preparation and its freshness, making it an ideal option for hot summer days. Unlike traditional cheesecake which requires a long baking, as you will see later, cold cheesecake uses gelatin or other thickening agents to obtain a firm consistency without the need for an oven.
This cold variant is usually prepared with a base of crushed biscuits and butter, while the filling is traditionally made of spreadable cheese, cream and sugar. However, in recent years it has become increasingly common to enrich the filling with lower-fat dairy products, so as to obtain a lighter texture and a note of acidity that balances the sweetness of the cheese and cream.
Frequently, for example,different types of yogurt are added to the mixture, from whole to the leanest, an ingredient that not only increases the silkiness of the dessert, but also makes it less caloric and suitable for hot summer days. The main feature of this cheesecake is, in fact, its ability to be fresh and creamy at the same time, as well as being very simple to prepare.
Furthermore, the possibility of customizing the filling with seasonal fruit, chocolate or any other ingredient effortlessly makes it a dessert suitable for multiple occasions: a mix of characteristics that make the no-bake cheesecake the ultimate summer meal.
Baked cheesecake: the “original” variant
Baked cheesecake represents a more traditional and complex category of this dessert. New York cheesecake is famous for its chunky texture, achieved through the use of cream cheese, sour cream, and then cooked slowly in the oven to avoid cracks in the surface. Usually garnished with berry syrup, it is also very often combined with a chocolate icing or other creams depending on your preference.
On the other hand, Americans are not the only ones who have their own national cheesecake. Even in Japan there is a very popular version of this dessert, the Japanese cheesecake, a completely different experience thanks to its lightness and spongy consistency more similar to a soufflé. The particular consistency is due to the whipped eggs and the delicate cooking in a bain-marie, techniques which also give it a much more delicate flavor than other denser and creamier versions of the dessert.
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The article Cheesecake: all the nuances of a dessert without borders comes from Scenari Economici .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/cheesecake-tutte-le-sfumature-di-un-dolce-senza-confini/ on Fri, 09 Aug 2024 09:12:37 +0000.