Description
Creamy New York cheesecake delights dessert enthusiasts with its rich, silky texture and classic graham cracker crust. Smooth cream cheese blends perfectly with sweet ingredients, creating a luxurious slice that invites pure indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Dairy Ingredients:
- 4 cups whole milk
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese
Acid Ingredient:
- 3–4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Seasoning:
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Select a robust, heavy-bottomed saucepan and gently warm the whole milk over medium temperature, monitoring closely until subtle bubbling emerges across the surface.
- When milk reaches a soft boil, introduce fresh lemon juice and swirl gently with a slotted spoon, observing immediate curd separation from liquid whey.
- Carefully remove the saucepan from heat source, allowing initial curdling to complete naturally.
- Position a fine-mesh cheesecloth over a sturdy strainer, then methodically pour the curdled mixture, permitting whey to drain completely and leaving behind dense, creamy curds.
- Delicately press and squeeze remaining liquid from the collected curds using clean hands or gentle pressure.
- Transfer curds to a food processor, sprinkle salt, and blend continuously for approximately 3-4 minutes until achieving a silky, uniform texture with no visible lumps.
- Scoop the freshly processed cream cheese into a clean, sealed container and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes, enabling flavors to harmonize and texture to stabilize.
- Before serving, briefly stir the chilled cream cheese to ensure optimal smoothness and spreadability.
Notes
- Crafting homemade cream cheese transforms ordinary milk into a luxurious spreadable delight with just a few simple ingredients.
- Lemon juice acts as a magical catalyst, gently separating milk’s proteins and creating soft, pillowy curds that become the foundation of your creamy creation.
- Patience during processing and chilling ensures a smooth, rich texture that elevates everything from bagels to cheesecakes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Breakfast, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 292
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 124 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 97 mg