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Stodgy, sticky cheesecake

(49 Posts)
GagaJo Sun 01-Aug-21 20:11:34

When I was a teenager, a real treat was a slice of cheesecake. It was stodgy enough to be claggy in the mouth, and sticky enough to stick to the roof of my mouth (I know it sounds disgusting, but I adored it).

Fast forward 40 years and I have no idea what happened to that type of cheesecake. 'Modern' cheesecakes look right but have nothing like the right texture.

Can anyone shed any light on this? I'd pay quite a lot to buy that kind of quality, but have never been able to find it.

Doodledog Fri 06-Aug-21 13:55:14

Thanks, NotSpaghetti, that's really helpful.

Yes, I think Quark should be easy enough to get hold of.

Fennel Fri 06-Aug-21 14:10:26

I've had a few failures with cheesecake in the past. mostly because I used the wrong kind of cheese.
(no not cheddar, I'm not that daft!)
This year I had success at last. I bought light cream cheese and full cream cheese from our Jewish Deli. they only have it around Shavuos time, which is usually in June.
I made the base with a light sponge recipe - we find the digestives and butter too greasy.
The rest is basically cheeses eggs cornflour and flavouring. And bake at the right temperature.
can't find the recipe.

NotSpaghetti Fri 06-Aug-21 14:19:31

Not many baked cheesecakes separate and fluff up the eggs as far as I can recall.
Some may prefer something denser.
It is still quite "claggy" in the mouth which is what lots of people like.

NotSpaghetti Fri 06-Aug-21 14:25:02

Think I should add, this one I posted is golden on the top, it's not the pale-baked sort. It bakes sort-of irregularly rather than smooth and smart.
More "country" than fine dining.

Nanna58 Fri 06-Aug-21 14:31:50

JaxJacky , laughed at your posts it sounded like you have Delia hostage in your loft! I think she’s on the bookshelf in my dining room, will try to find and post as it’s delicious !

Baggs Fri 06-Aug-21 18:10:52

This is the best cheesecake I've ever eaten:

In my hand written recipe book it's called Jersey Cheesecake and I got the recipe from an aunt. Can't be beaten.

2lb good quality cream cheese at room temperature (you know which kind wink )
6 eggs
2 cups sugar
1tsp vanilla essence
2 cups sour cream

Mix it all but the sour cream together, then add the cream. Mix well. Pour into a greased and floured, large, spring-clip cake tin. Bake at 180ºC for ~50 minutes until edges are just brown but centre is still moist.

vbvb Tue 11-Nov-25 18:48:59

I have just seen this old post. How I long for the old M&S wedge cheesecakes. I have never found anything that comes remotely close to them. There were two flavours a plain one and a lemon and sultana - both absolutely divine. I was just trying to describe them to my family and your own description is spot on. I do wish they would bring them back. The recipes/types suggested by other posters on here don't really fit the bill. I'm so glad someone else remembers them in the way that I do!

valdavi Tue 11-Nov-25 18:54:48

Baked Basque cheesecake & New York cheesecake are this sort of texture. I make the Baked Basque one it doesn't have a base whereas the New York one does.
They have caramelised tops so I serve with berries or other fruit rather than do a topping. Easy to make.
You sometimes get them in restaurants, but not in supermarkets.
Also Banoffee, my Mum's recipe is similar to bread & butter pudding with toffee and bananas - the modern light creamy unbaked Banoffee doesn't come near for my taste.

CanadianGran Tue 11-Nov-25 21:16:26

I remember the first time I had a cheesecake I was a teenager, and I didn't like it. However, my palate has become more sophisticated as an adult, and it's one of my favourite desserts now!

I rarely bake one, though, mostly because of the cost! For me it is a treat if I am out for a special occasion.

Babs03 Tue 11-Nov-25 21:38:56

I love cheesecake but have to say I found them richer and stodgier back in the day, perhaps the ingredients were slightly different.
Would never order it for dessert though, am a lover of a substantial pud, and for some reason whenever I ordered cheesecake I would only be given the thinnest slice.
At home the family get a big fat slice.

NotSpaghetti Tue 11-Nov-25 23:47:25

I'm glad this thread has popped up again. I'd totally forgotten about it.
I think I'll be baking tomorrow!

cc Wed 12-Nov-25 13:55:03

I'd actually been thinking of making one for dessert on Christmas day, with fruit or cherry pie filling on too. I used to make a nice one with cottage cheese pushed through a sieve, it had a lot more texture than those made with any of the smooth, soft cheeses. I think it came from one of the dairy books and was described as a baked New York cheesecake.

cc Wed 12-Nov-25 13:56:47

vbvb

I have just seen this old post. How I long for the old M&S wedge cheesecakes. I have never found anything that comes remotely close to them. There were two flavours a plain one and a lemon and sultana - both absolutely divine. I was just trying to describe them to my family and your own description is spot on. I do wish they would bring them back. The recipes/types suggested by other posters on here don't really fit the bill. I'm so glad someone else remembers them in the way that I do!

I remember the M&S wedges too, the lemon and sultana. It was my special treat in the days when I first left home as a student.

Kats2 Wed 12-Nov-25 14:47:55

Have you tried the M&S cheesecake.. thats like the one you described..l used to make cheesecakes like that just realised I've not made one for years…

muckandnettles Wed 12-Nov-25 15:01:41

This thread reminds me of cheesecake slices I used to get to share with my mum in the 70s from the Waitrose deli counter - we both loved them and they were really substantial, proper baked ones. If I'm in a restaurant, I never risk a cheesecake because they can be so disappointing. The worst one I had was 'deconstructed' which meant a dish of baked creamy stuff, a biscuit and some fruit coulis decorating the plate. Outrageous!

jojogogo Wed 12-Nov-25 17:04:54

In my humble opinion.. this is crazy good! 👍👍👍

Elusivebutterfly Wed 12-Nov-25 17:08:45

Could it be a London cheesecake? It is a pastry, nothing like modern cheesecake. I remember buying it in Tesco in the 70s/80s.

Magenta8 Wed 12-Nov-25 17:17:32

When I was a child we used to buy wonderful baked cheesecake from Grodzinskis. They used to sell freshly made latkas and liptauer cheese too.

Dearknees1 Wed 12-Nov-25 17:44:05

All I remember from the 70s is Greens cheesecake which came in powder form and required no baking, just whisking with milk and leaving to set in the fridge. We discovered baked cheesecake much later in life and would now always choose it. It’s always disappointing when cheesecake served in a restaurant turns out to be the unbaked variety. Baked cheesecake is also, as I’ve discovered, very easy to make. Just needs making well in advance.

Esmay Wed 12-Nov-25 19:26:11

An old post maybe -but another vote for those wonderful stodgy M and S cheesecakes.
I don't like the ones thickened with gelatine on a too dry crumb base .
Add some kind of sickly coulis and describe them as New York and they aren't cheesecake as I remember it .
It's a long time since I baked a real cheesecake -all lemony with those fat sultanas ,but I think that I'll have a go .

Maybe if we all wrote to M and S and begged them to make and sell them again .

ViceVersa Wed 12-Nov-25 19:37:03

I'd forgotten all about the M&S lemon and sultana cheesecakes until I read this thread - they really were lovely. It's also reminded me that I've not made cheesecake for a while...must remedy that situation soon!
The best cheesecake I've ever had was a sour cherry cheesecake in Turkey - it was a baked one too and was absolutely delicious.

Luckylegs Wed 12-Nov-25 21:11:35

I loved those M and S cheesecakes and I’d forgotten about them till this thread. I used to love Sara Lee blackcurrant cheesecakes. I didn’t like cheese and I remember saying so and I was adamant that I wouldn’t try cheesecake but those were nectar and I couldn’t get enough! I don’t know if they are still made nowadays.

grannybuy Thu 13-Nov-25 06:17:36

It sounds like a baked cheesecake. I use Nigella’s recipe. You sit your cheesecake tin in a larger tin of water. Keeps the cheesecake moist.