The checkout lady at the grocery store thought I was on a real fat bender. “What are you going to do with all of that?” she asked, eyeing my quarts of sour cream, cream cheese and whipping cream. “Recipe testing,” I say. She nods, with this little lift to her eyebrow, like, “Sure you are.” But it’s true. I’m testing with vats of cream because Lost Recipe Found readers lo-o-o-ve cheesecake. I’ve had requests for no-bake cheesecakes, cheesecakes made with farmers cheese, cottage cheese, or ricotta cheese, cheesecake with meringue crusts, rusk crusts, zwieback crust and no crust….the list is a long one. From that list, this cake is a winner. Reader Linda M. wrote us in search of a cake that would match her memories of going to New York for the 1965 World’s Fair where she fell in love with the “very thick, very dry, crustless cheesecake” baked in that region. We found this one of that ilk and era, credited to Mrs. Charles B. Goldman, of Auburn N.Y. And for more cheesecake recipes, try these! Cheescake Like Little Jack’s , Apple Almond Cheese Tart, Very Airy No-Bake Cheesecake, Creamy Nectarine-y Cheesecake,
- 2 cups sour cream
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup margarine or butter, melted, cooled
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 pkg. 7 1/2 ounces each, farmers cheese, cut into cubes (Note: If you can't find farmers cheese, place 15 ounces of fresh ricotta in a fine sieve and allow to drain overnight. In the morning, place drained ricotta in clean cloth to press out any remaining liquid. If you don't have time to drain overnight: place ricotta in very clean cotton or linen cloth, twist into a bundle, squeeze out and discard all of the liquid. Repeat to be sure ricotta is really dry.)
- 2 pkg (8 ounces each) cream cheese, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup flour
- Place oven rack in center position. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using your blender, you will combine the above ingredients, blending until smooth. You will have to do this in two batches as most blenders won’t accommodate this volume in one batch. So, for first batch, put one cup sour cream, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup melted margarine, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 cup sugar, half of the farmers cheese, half of the cream cheese and 1/4 cup flour. Blend.
- Pour into oiled 9-inch springform pan. Then repeat, pouring second batch of filling over first. Wrap the bottom of the springform pan with aluminum foil--it's okay if this extends up the outside of the pan a bit. Place cake in center of oven.
- Bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Turn oven off. Leave cake in the oven for 2 hours before removing. Place cake on a cooling rack.
- Chill thoroughly. Remove from springform pan to serving platter. Serve with fresh fruit.
- If you can't find farmers cheese, place 15 ounces of fresh ricotta in a fine sieve and allow to drain overnight. In the morning, place drained ricotta in clean cloth to press out any remaining liquid. If you don't have time to drain overnight: place ricotta in very clean cotton or linen cloth, twist into a bundle, squeeze out and discard all of the liquid. Repeat to be sure it's really dry. Also, Although I have not tested this recipe with decreased amounts of sugar yet: For those of you looking for a less-sweet cake, I believe you can decrease the amount of sugar used in this recipe by at least a quarter cup
15 Comments
Super recipes. It made me happy. I will order it soon. Thank you 🙂
I’ve had a cheesecake like this once and have been searching for it since. I am so happy you find these lost recipes!!
I am going to make this today. I found a substitute for the Farmers Cheese that I will try in it.
Hi, what have you found as a sub for the farmers cheese? The internet lists many subs, but don’t know which to use in cheesecake. Thanks
Hi! If you can’t find farmers cheese, place 15 ounces of fresh ricotta in a fine sieve and allow to drain over a bowl in the fridge overnight. Discard drained liquid. In the morning, place drained ricotta in clean cloth to press out any remaining liquid. If you don’t have time to drain overnight: place ricotta in very clean cotton or linen cloth, twist into a bundle, squeeze out and discard all of the liquid. Repeat to be sure it’s really dry.
Queso frito makes a great sub
That was a typo. Queso fresco, excuse me ????
I too have been searching for that elusive NY cheesecake from my youth, but have had no luck. I used to think it was a Greek recipe due to finding it on the menu at Greek diners. I can’t wait to try this….I really hope this is the end to my long awaited search
When I was a little kid in the Boston area in the 1960s my Dad used to bring home a cheesecake that was try enough to pick up and eat with our hands. I have never been able to find it once the thick and sticky New York-style cream cheese cakes became popular .
I hope this recipe will make my dream come true!
I hope so too! Happy baking 🙂
Love this recipe! I’ve used this recipe several times, experimenting with the ricotta and sour cream. I will generally strain the ricotta in a fine mesh strainer for at least two days, up to three. The sour cream I’ll also strain, but only for about 12 hours. After it’s been baked and cooled, I’ll leave it in the fridge overnight uncovered. Yes it’s a process, but I find it’s worth it!
So pleased you like the recipe! It’s a good one–and I love that you are experimenting with it–recipes are guidelines after all, and tweaking them is just fun! 🙂 –Monica Kass Rogers
Can I make it this recipe with a stand mixer instead of a blender? Is there a specific reason for using a blender to combine the ingredients? I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi, Jeannie! You can try that, but I have had best results with either a stand blender, or, a handheld immersion blender. The reason for the blender is it is challenging to get the cream cheese to be perfectly smooth and incorporated with the other ingredients with a mixer. If the cream cheese isn’t perfectly blended with the other ingredients, you will end up with flecks or clumps of un-blended cream cheese in the cake.
This is the recipe I have been searching for…the one I had one time and dream about ever since. The flavor is perfect, I adore the dense dry texture and it is so easy. I am not a baker. I don’t have the patience. But this is something that I, may be sorry to say, I can make often!! 😀 I am not a fan of sweets but this is a balance of savory cream cheese with a subtle sweetness that brings me back for another piece!!