Baked Cheesecake

The origin of the Baked Cheesecake may be traced back to 776 BC, in ancient Greece where miniature cheesecakes were served to the Olympic athletes. However, after cream cheese came into existence in 1872 unbaked cheesecakes became more popular and the original baked cheesecake became known as the New York Cheesecake. Baked Cheesecakes typically have a thin crust at the bottom and a filling of sugar, butter, eggs, cream cheese, sour cream, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla extract. One of the biggest problems of baking cheesecakes is the cracking of the surface. The best way to prevent this is by covering the cheesecake dish in foil, and the placing the dish inside a larger, shallower pan, filled with boiling water. Baked cheesecakes may be dusted with icing sugar and served with fresh raspberries or cherries.