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A cheesecake is a cake which is either made of, or has a soft topping of, ricotta cheese or more usually cream cheese, sugar and sometimes other ingredients such as eggs, cream and fruit, on a cookie crumb crust. Various other flavorings may be added, such as vanilla or chocolate, and a fruit topping, like strawberry is frequently added. Some types of cheesecake are custard pie, rather than a true cake, which leads many novice bakers to cheesecake failure. (other types are true cakes.)
History
The origins of cheesecake goes back to ancient Greece, where it was served to athletes during the first Olympic Games in 776 BC. The Romans spread cheesecake from Greece to across Europe. Centuries later cheesecake appeared in America, due to recipes brought over by immigrants. In 1872, cream cheese was invented by American dairymen who were trying to recreate the French cheese, Neufchâtel.
The word cheesecake is also used to describe the creamy, cheesy flavor of the cake. In that usage, there's cheesecake yogurt, ice cream, brownies, and cookies.
Cheesecake may also refer to a female sex symbol, particularly when the subject of a pin-up picture.
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