A Lighter, Lovelier Bake: The French Cheesecake

We all adore a classic, dense New York-style cheesecake, but sometimes the occasion calls for something a little lighter, a little more... sophisticated.

Enter the French Cheesecake.

What makes it "French," you ask? The secret is in the eggs. Instead of just adding them whole, we separate them, create a light, airy meringue from the whites, and then fold it into the cream cheese base.

The result is pure magic. The cheesecake puffs up in the oven like a beautiful, golden soufflé and settles into a texture that is impossibly light, creamy, and melts in your mouth. It's a fantastic recipe for a long luncheon or as a refined finish to a big dinner. It’s a bit more advanced than your average bake, but now you’re cookin’ with gas, so let's tackle it together.

Penny’s Test Kitchen Note: A Recipe for a Crowd

My goodness, this is a professional-sized recipe! As written, it makes two 9-inch cheesecakes. This is splendid for a holiday, a big party, or for stocking the freezer (yes, it freezes beautifully!). If you're baking for a smaller affair, simply halve every ingredient for a single, perfect cheesecake.

French Cheesecake

Yield: 2 (two) 9-inch cheesecakes

Bake Time: 60-75 minutes (plus cooling)

Ingredients:

• For the Crust:

  • Your favorite Short Dough or Graham Cracker Crust, enough for two 9-inch springform pans.

    
    

• For the Filling:

  • Cream Cheese: 2250g (5 lbs), very soft at room temperature

  • Sugar: 794g (1 lb 12 oz), divided per the instructions

  • Cornstarch: 71g (2.5 oz)

  • Lemon Zest: 7g (.25 oz)

  • Vanilla Extract: 14g (.5 oz)

  • Salt: 21g (.75 oz)

  • Eggs (separated): 454g (1 lb)

  • Egg Yolks (extra): 170g (6 oz)

  • Heavy Cream: 227g (8 oz)

  • Whole Milk: 114g (4 oz)

  • Lemon Juice: 28g (1 oz)

The Procedure: Step-by-Step

1. Prepare Your Pans:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare your two 9-inch springform pans by pressing your chosen crust firmly into the bottom. Slip the Ease Cake Springform Pan Cover onto your pan to make it perfectly water tight.

2. Start the Base:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature cream cheese on medium-low speed. Your goal is to get it perfectly smooth and creamy, with absolutely no lumps. This is the foundation of your silky texture.

3. A Clever Cornstarch Trick:

In a separate bowl, measure out half of your total sugar. Add the cornstarch, lemon zest, and salt to this bowl of sugar. Whisk them together thoroughly.

• Why? Cornstarch is notorious for clumping. By mixing it into the dry sugar first, you ensure it distributes perfectly into the batter without a single lump in sight.

  
  

4. Build the Custard:

With the mixer on low speed, add your sugar/cornstarch mixture to the smooth cream cheese. Once combined, add all the egg yolks (the ones from the separated eggs plus the extra yolks) and the vanilla. Mix on low until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

5. Add the Liquids:

While the mixer is still on low, slowly drizzle in the heavy cream, whole milk, and lemon juice. Mix just until everything is combined. Do not over-beat! You're trying to avoid adding air at this stage.

6. The Meringue (The "French" Secret):

Transfer your cream cheese mixture to a very large bowl (you'll need the space for folding). Clean your mixer bowl and whisk attachment thoroughly.

Add your reserved egg whites and the second half of your sugar to the clean mixer bowl. Whip them together on medium-high speed until you have a soft meringue. You are looking for soft, droopy peaks that gently fold over—not the stiff, dry peaks you'd want for a pavlova.

7. Fold, Don't Stir:

Gently add about one-third of your soft meringue into the bowl of the cream cheese base. Using a large spatula, fold it in to lighten the base. Then, add the remaining meringue.

Fold gently by cutting your spatula down the middle of the bowl, scraping along the bottom, and "folding" the batter over on itself. Turn the bowl a quarter-turn and repeat. Continue just until you see no more streaks of white. The goal is to keep as much of that lovely air as possible!

8. The Water Bath (Our Specialty):

This delicate, soufflé-like custard must be baked in a water bath. The gentle, humid heat is what prevents it from cracking and keeps the texture impossibly creamy.

But putting a springform pan in water is usually a recipe for a soggy-bottomed debacle. This is precisely why we created our Ease Cake Springform Pan Cover. Just snap it on, and your pan is sealed up tighter than a drum. No leaks, no wrestling with messy foil, and no culinary crime scenes.

Place your covered pans into a large roasting pan and pour in hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of your springform pans.

9. Bake and Cool:

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 60-75 minutes. The cheesecakes are done when the edges are set, but the center still has a distinct wobble.

Turn off the oven, prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon, and let the cheesecakes cool slowly in the oven for 1 hour. This gentle cool-down is the final secret to a crack-free top.

10. Chill Completely:

Remove the pans from the water bath, take off the covers, and let them cool on a wire rack until they reach room temperature. Then, cover them loosely and transfer them to the refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight. This is not a suggestion—it's essential for the cheesecake to set.

Once chilled, release the sides of the springform pan, slice, and serve. You will have a dessert that is truly the talk of the town.