In search of Cheesecakes

New York Baked Cheesecake at La Plaisir Patisserie & Bistro

This is a cute resto situated on Bhandarkar Road. The New York baked cheesecake here is very simple but sets fireworks in your mouth. It’s got the right balance of sweet and a pinch of sour. The cracker base adds up to the amazing taste. The portions are great for the price. You do get many different types of cheesecakes here like the Hazlenut, Strawberry and Blueberry which are all amazing to try. It’s really soft on the pocket so this is can be a regular place for a slice of good cheesecake! Price `150

Philadelphia Baked Cheesecake at Mangi

Located at Amanora in Hadapsar, the Philadelphia cheesecake here is very versatile because it keeps changing with the fruits of the season, hence allowing you to taste different types at different times. The texture on this cake is just right and the taste moves more towards the sweeter side which isn’t a bad thing. The cracker base on this cake shines along with the cheese. It’s very well settled and doesn’t crumble which is a good sign. Price `225

Baked Cheesecake at Poona Baking Company

This place lies in the shallow shores of JW Marriot on SB Road and gives out a very classic vibe for a cafe. The cheesecake here is famous for its perfection. Appearance wise, it is normally geometrical, topped with a thin choco strip and seasonal fruit. Digging into the cake it had a very luxuriously smooth and dense texture. The taste is just sublime, it melts in one’s mouth with a perfect balance of sweet and sour. The consistency of the cream cheese wasn’t stale proving its freshness. At first, the ratio of the cheese to biscuit base looks a lot, but trust the baker here sure knows what he’s doing. This is by far one of the best cheesecake in town according to most locals. Price `250-275.

Blueberry Cheesecake & Baked Cheesecak at Moshe’s

This cafe recently opened its branch in Pune at Phoenix Marketcity, Vimannagar. Both the cheesecakes here are to be placed on the same pedestal. They galvanise your palate equally and set out different paths with different textures. The cheesecake has a freshly-baked aroma with a layer of brown baking goodness at the top and the ratio of the base and topping is just right. It inclines more towards the sour side in taste but doesn’t turn off your tastebuds. The texture is rich, velvety and creamy which presses the right buttons for a great cheese cake. Price `195-220
The blueberry cheesecake is the complete opposite but stays parallel. It has a very light, fluffy and airy texture which is the perfect definition of a light cheesecake. The blueberry compote on top adds up to the right level of sweetness to the whole slice. Also the portions for both the cakes are just perfect. Price `175-200

Things to remember while baking at home

• l Do not over mix the cheese and the sugar. Have all the ingredients at room temperature before blending. Over mix and the cheesecake would suffer as opposed to baking normal cakes where beating air into the batter is key.
• l Many cheesecakes are baked in a water bath (a pan of water) to moderate the temperature. Since water remains at a constant temperature, the cake sets slowly, resulting in a super-creamy cheesecake hence always steam baked as opposed to normal baking.
• l Try not to over bake the cheesecake. If it turns brown in colour on top, it is over-cooked.
• l To prevent the cheesecake from cracking as it cools, run a thin knife around the edge of the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.
• l Always remember, a crack in your cheesecake is not the end of the world. Simply use it as a starting point when cutting your first slice.

           (Tips by Chef de Partie Gerwin D’souza, Courtyard by Marriott)