Cheesecakes seem like a simple dish, but it is in simplicity that the secrets lie that transform them from dense flatbreads into a delicate, airy dessert with a crispy crust. In addition to choosing dry cottage cheese and a minimum of flour, there is one little-known but ingenious technique that was used by Soviet chefs: grease cheesecakes with a thin layer of sour cream before frying.
Magic in a frying pan
This is not just a whim of culinary experts, but a technology that solves three problems at once.
In a hot frying pan, the sour cream instantly begins to caramelize, forming that smooth, deliciously browned and crispy shell for which we love cheesecakes so much. It's easier and more reliable than trying to achieve the same effect without it.
The sour cream layer acts as a barrier that prevents the curd mass from quickly losing moisture. The inside of the cheesecake remains tender and juicy, and not dry and crumbly.
Sour cream adds a light, pleasant piquant sourness to the finished dish, which balances the sweetness and enriches the overall taste.
How to cook
- Lubricate the cheesecakes easily, literally as if you were applying cream. A thick layer will not have time to caramelize and will simply burn, giving a bitter aftertaste.
- The ideal choice is a frying pan with a thick bottom (cast iron or with a high-quality non-stick coating). It provides even, consistent heat needed for proper caramelization.
- Thick, high-quality sour cream (from 20% fat content) is best suited. Homemade or farm-made will give the richest taste and smoothest texture.
Sour cream gives a more controlled and consistent result, and the crust turns out even, without burnt spots, and works as a natural “sauce”, integrating into the dish, rather than just as a fat for frying.
This old tried and true trick is guaranteed to take your cheesecakes to the next level. With them, your cheesecakes will have a crispy golden shell on the outside and a melting soft curd “cloud” inside.
