Hollywood stars can — and do — ask for anything when it comes to their riders. No brown M&M’s? No problem. Chilled Cristal champagne? Grab the ice bucket.

For Jay Kelly (George Clooney), the movie star at the heart of Oscar-nominated filmmaker Noah Baumbach’s latest drama, Jay Kelly, the one thing he needs to have at the ready wherever he might go for work is, quite simply: cheesecake. Wherever Jay goes, cheesecake follows — indeed, the smooth, creamy dessert even finds him in Italy (where, arguably, a tiramisu might be more appropriate).

Ironically, after decades in show business, Jay can’t even remember insisting that cheesecake be present wherever he is. As the dessert materializes in dressing rooms and at dinner parties, the actor becomes more and more frustrated by its presence. In fickle old Hollywood, the rider is the one thing that won’t fade away. 

But if you’re going to be plagued by sweets, at least Jay — at some forgotten point in his career — chose a classic. The movie’s dessert is award-winning chef, restaurateur, and cookbook writer Nancy Silverton’s recipe, and it’s what she describes as “the epitome of the classic cheesecake.” In fact, Silverton’s recipe has one of the movie’s central themes — “They don't make them like they used to” — baked into it. (Pun intended!) 

“When you think of the cheesecake of your childhood, it’s this exact cheesecake that you’re envisioning,” Silverton tells Tudum. “It’s classic in every way: simple ingredients, Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, and a graham cracker crust. Nothing in this recipe has been altered or personalized.” 

Another of Jay Kelly’s key motifs can be found in the line, “All my memories are movies.” Food, too, can dominate our recollections or spark a memory with just a taste. So which food scenes in movies stand out most in Silverton’s mind? The author lists My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Moonstruck among her top foodie films. “Ratatouille, although it’s perhaps a little cliché, is one of my favorites,” she says. “The scene where the snobby food critic takes a bite of ratatouille and is instantly taken back to his childhood is just perfect — it’s the type of experience and moment we all strive to create when we cook. It also would be a missed opportunity not to mention Nathan Detroit’s infamous cheesecake/strudel bet in Guys & Dolls, made by the one and only Frank Sinatra — who, by the way, apparently didn’t even like cheesecake.” Sounds like Jay is in good company.

Despite her extensive expertise when it comes to whipping up delicious dishes, if Silverton had to pick an item to be on her own rider, it’d be something quite simple. “Although I can guarantee this cheesecake is delicious, it’s not my go-to snack on set,” she says. “I’m currently obsessed with popcorn.”

Well, a cheesecake made for Hollywood heavyweights has gotta be good. And who needs a rider when you have a recipe? “The recipe is from my cookbook entitled The Cookie That Changed My Life, which is filled with recipes that I think are the most perfect versions of American baking classics,” says Silverton. “And this cheesecake is no exception.”

Check out the ingredients and process below, and make it for yourself one night — you can eat it while watching Jay Kelly, of course.

Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Netflix)

CHEESECAKE WITH GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
From The Cookie That Changed My Life, by Nancy Silverton with Carolyn Carreño. Reprinted with permission of Alfred A. Knopf. 

This is the cheesecake that I grew up eating, and baking: smooth and creamy, topped with a bright white layer of sour cream. I give you a recipe for homemade graham crackers to make the crust, but if you want to skip that step, you have my permission to use store-bought graham crackers instead. Professional bakers and home bakers alike are always tinkering with this classic, trying to tweak this or that to make the ultimate version, while staying within the pretty simple boundaries of what a cheesecake is. I’m guilty of the same. I added mascarpone, which is a fresh creamy Italian cheese, like a softer, more flavorful version of cream cheese. And I top the cheesecake with crème fraîche, the more flavorful French version of sour cream. 

You need to use Philadelphia cream cheese for this, one that comes in a block, wrapped in foil, not an artisanal product that comes in a tub or from a cheese shop. I’m sure those are delicious, but they’re not what you want for baking. 

Makes one 9-inch cheesecake 

What You Need – The Essential Special Equipment

9-inch springform pan
Cooking spray
Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Roasting pan large enough to hold the springform pan with a few inches around it

For the Crust

125 grams graham crackers (store-bought)
25 grams (2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
42 grams (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling

4 extra-large egg yolks
700 grams (24 oz) cream cheese, cubed, at room temperature
200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
200 grams (¾ cup + 2 heaping tablespoons) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
348 grams (1½ cups) crème fraîche (or 336 grams/1 ½ cups sour cream)

1. To make the crust, adjust an oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the bottom and sides of the springform pan with cooking spray and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Break the graham crackers into pieces, place them in a food processor, and grind the crackers to fine crumbs. Turn the crumbs out into a large bowl. Add the sugar, salt, and cinnamon (if using) and stir to combine. Add the melted butter and stir with your hands to combine and break up any lumps.
3. Transfer the crumbs to the prepared pan and spread them over the bottom. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to gently press the crumbs in an even layer to line the bottom of the pan. Place the pan on the prepared baking sheet and bake the crust on the center rack of the oven until it is firm to the touch, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating it front to back halfway through the baking time so it bakes evenly. Remove the crust from the oven and set it aside to cool to room temperature.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
5. When the pan is cool, wrap the bottom tightly in a doubled sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Locate a roasting pan that the springform will fit inside with at least 2 inches of space around. Place the springform pan inside the roasting pan. Bring a kettle of water to a boil to fill the roasting pan and make a bain-marie, or water bath.
6. To prepare the filling, whisk the egg yolks together in a small bowl.
7. Put the cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle and beat on medium-high speed until the cream cheese is soft, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and the paddle as needed. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the mascarpone, vanilla, and salt and beat for about 30 seconds to combine the ingredients. With the mixer on medium speed, drizzle in the egg yolks, stopping to scrape down the bowl and making sure the addition is incorporated before adding more. Stop the mixer, remove the paddle and bowl, and clean them with the rubber spatula.
8. Pour the batter into the crust and smooth out the top with an offset spatula. Set the springform pan inside the roasting pan. Pull out the center oven rack and place the roasting pan on it. Carefully pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan, taking care not to get any water on the cheesecake. Cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil and pierce the foil in several places with a sharp knife for steam to escape.
9. Gently slide the oven rack back in and bake the cheesecake for 1 hour. Gently pull out the oven rack and carefully lift a corner of the foil to release steam. Put the foil back down on the roasting pan. Rotate the roasting pan front to back and slide the oven rack back in. Bake the cheesecake for another 30 to 60 minutes. To check for doneness, peel back the foil, being mindful of the steam that will arise, and gently shake the springform pan; if it is done, the edges will be set, and the center will jiggle slightly. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and set aside for about 15 minutes for the cheesecake to cool slightly in the bain-marie. Leave the oven on.
10. While the cheesecake is cooling, put the crème fraîche in a small bowl and whisk to thin it slightly.
11. With the cheesecake still in the bain-marie, remove the foil. Pour the crème fraîche on top. Gently smooth it out with an offset spatula. Return the roasting pan with the cheesecake to the oven, uncovered, to bake for 10 minutes to set the crème fraîche.
12. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and let the cheesecake cool to room temperature in the bain-marie. Remove the cheesecake from the bain-marie and dry the bottom of the springform pan. Remove the foil. Cup your hands around the sides of the pan to confirm that the cheesecake has completely cooled, then cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cheesecake overnight or for at least several hours.

13. When you're ready to serve the cheesecake, unlatch the springform pan and carefully remove the sides. Place the base with the cheesecake on a platter. Slice the cake with a large knife, wiping the knife clean with a warm wet towel between cuts.

     

    Check out Clooney — and many delicious cheesecakes — in Jay Kelly, now streaming on Netflix.