My search for the best cheesecake in New York continues….
Bay Ridge must be the bakery district. In a matter of a few blocks in this diverse Brooklyn neighborhood, you have a Greek pastry shop, a French one, an iconic Scandinavian one, and one hailing from the Middle East. That’s a lot of eclectic and delicious treats in a small radius.
And most of the aforementioned bakeries actually make their own version of cheesecake. I was here today to focus on one in particular. It’s the French bakery known as Jean Danet but it is actually owned and operated by an Italian baker (who studied French techniques) and bought the business back in 1998.
The recipes have supposedly stayed the same, but some things (including the brick pizza oven in the back) have probably changed with the times and the neighborhood. A selection of large Italian-style ricotta cheesecakes were also available in the refrigerator up front. I (or rather my waistline) could only afford one slice so I stuck with the classic New York style.
It’s definitely one of the prettier slices trading out crust for whipped cream and a glazed strawberry. It’s also more compact – smaller and more dense than most slices. The cold cream cheese coating was rich and smooth leaving a slightly sour yet sweet taste lingering. The composition of the cake was masterful and the sweet whipped cream and tangy strawberry helped enhance the flavors.
In all fairness, I probably need to make multiple trips to Bay Ridge to taste all the other (international) cheesecakes. I’ll be even more impressed if they’re all as good as the one at Jean Danet. It might even be reason enough to move out to Bay Ridge!
Does Jean Danet Pastry have the best cheesecake in NY? It earns an 8 out of 10 since the beautifully composed slice is velvety with a balanced hit of sweet with the cheesy tartness.
| JEAN DANET PASTRY |
| 7526 5th Avenue (at 76th Street), Bay Ridge, Brooklyn (718) 836-7566 |
| jeandanet.com |
