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French cheesecake is creamier and lighter, but no less delicious
When you think of French pastry, what comes to mind? For most of us, it’s probably along the lines of eclairs and macarons, and all the gourmet treats at specialty bakeries. Now think about cheesecake. It seems like a uniquely American dessert, right? You might be surprised to learn that the origin of our favorite cheesecakes actually has roots in France. Here’s what to know about French-style cheesecake.
What is French-style cheesecake?
What exactly counts as French-style cheesecake is a little bit confusing. In French cookbooks, and throughout France, you’re likely to find a cheesecake that’s lighter and more airy than American versions, since the French use a different type of cheese. But a Google of “what is French-style cheesecake” brings up description after description of a cheesecake with gelatin used instead of eggs — which even seasoned pastry chefs (yes, we’ve asked) have never heard of being a thing. So for our purposes, we’ll stick to the original: the gâteau au fromage, or literal French cheesecake. The cheesecake itself is baked and has a light shortcrust base.
History of French cheesecake
French cheesecake — the Martha Stewart style that’s cakier and lighter than New York-style cheesecake, has its roots in ancient Greece, specifically on the island of Samos. The first cheesecakes weren’t anything like what we know today, though. They were essentially just cheese curd mixed with flour and honey, molded into a cake, and baked on a griddle. It was crustless or with a light crust from the griddle and honey. In the 1300s, the English added eggs and a crust — and the French, particularly in the Alsace region — broke off to make their own style. Americans in the colonies introduced cream cheese to cheesecake in the 1700s; so in a way, we can consider French-style cheesecake to be the ancestor of American cheesecake.
What is the difference between French-style cheesecake and regular cheesecake?
There are a bunch of types of cheesecakes, but most people think about cheesecake in four different categories: French, New York, Chicago, and Basque.
- French-style, as mentioned, is lighter and airier, using fromage blanc instead of cream cheese. Fromage blanc is a soft, fresh cheese, similar to quark. French-style cheesecake is baked and has a shortcrust pastry as the base. It’s usually pretty thin so it doesn’t impact the balance of cheesecake to crust.
- New-York-style cheesecake is firm, dense, and creamy, made with cream cheese. The base is either crushed graham crackers or sponge cake and climbs up around the edges of the dessert.
- Chicago-style cheesecake is similar to New York’s version, except it has more cream cheese and a base typically made from crushed up shortbread. It’s softer and fluffier inside than the dense New-York-style, and the crust stays on the bottom.
- Basque cheesecake is crustless. It originated in Basque country in Spain. The top is usually burnt from baking, and the cheesecake itself is lighter than New York’s. Basque cheesecake leans more toward souffle than cake.
There’s also an Italian-style cheesecake, made with ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese, so it’s a little less sweet; a Japanese-style cheesecake that’s tall and more like a souffle; and a vegan version made with vegan cheese.
How to make French-style cheesecake
To make a true French-style cheesecake, you need to start with a shortcrust pastry, or a classic pie crust. For an easier time with it, opt for store-bought — that way you can avoid all the hassle of cutting in butter making the dough from scratch. French cheesecakes do have a thinner crust, though, so consider rolling out your store-bought dough a little bit. Transfer the crust to your pie tin and blind bake it for about 8 minutes, or until it’s golden brown, at 400 degrees. Then turn the heat down to 350.
For the cheesecake itself, find your favorite recipe for New-York-style cheesecake. You only need a few tweaks for it to be a French version! Replace the cream cheese with fromage blanc (if you can find it), quark, or strained cream cheese. Separate the eggs and whip the whites to stiff peaks. Follow the recipe using your new cheese and the egg yolks only, then fold in the egg whites to the finished cheese mixture. Pour the mixture into your crust and bake for about 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the cheesecake bounces back when you press it.
National Cheesecake Day may be in July, but don’t let that stop you from having the delicious dessert now. Goldbelly has the best mail-order cheesecakes around — have one delivered right to your door. Maybe grab a cake, pie, or tart, as well, and make it a dessert buffet.
