New York Cheesecake: The Dense Classic

Unlike its Italian cousin which uses ricotta, the New York Cheesecake is built on a foundation of cream cheese, eggs, and sugar. Baked slowly in a water bath to prevent cracking, the result is an incredibly dense, satin-smooth cake with a browned top. It needs no topping, though a strawberry reduction is often permitted. It is the uncompromising standard of American desserts.