
What makes a good cheesecake? Is it tall and fluffy, or dense and creamy? What’s the right balance of sweet and tangy? Can you make it without a water bath? Is it fast or foolproof? Does it really have to be made in a springform pan?
I had to ask myself all these questions and more when I started researching and testing (and testing and testing) what ultimately became this overnight New York-style cheesecake recipe. Developing recipes requires more introspection than you might think, but also often a hefty amount of exchange with others. If folks like me are going to be real, the attribution on a recipe would read more like movie credits and less like a single line, thanks to everyone who answers my questions, edits and tests my recipes, styles the food and takes the photographs, just to name a few parts of the process.