BAKING BASICS - CHEESECAKE TIPS

When a recipe says have the ingredients at room temperature, it means it.  Room-temperature cream cheese, sugar, and eggs will combine to make a smooth lump-free batter.

Don’t overmix the batter.  If the ingredients are at room temperature, the batter will smooth out with almost no effort.  If the ingredients are at room temperature, the batter will smooth out with almost no effort.  If the ingredients are cold and firm, no amount of beating will smooth them – you’re just beating unwanted air into the batter, which will make the cheesecake rise too much while it is baking, only to sink dismally in the center as it cools.

Bake most cheesecakes in a pan of water.  This helps reduce bottom heat so that the cheesecake sets without rising and developing a soufflé-like texture.  Wrapping the spring form pan with foil will make it water tight so that the water from the bath will not ruin the cheese cake.

Cheese cake will always shrink a little while baking. To avoid having the top cracked, grease the sides of the pan first. This way it will shrink without cracking.

Always bake a cheesecake on the center rack in the center of the oven. Cheesecakes are egg based and so they need low heat.

Don't open oven door while baking.

Don’t overbake the cheesecake.  If it looks as though it has puffed a little and it has taken on a tiny bit of color, and the baking time stated in the recipe has elapsed, take the cheesecake out of the oven.  Yes, it will still look a little wobbly in the center – íts supposed to.

A perfectly baked cheesecake will be puffed around the edges. When shaken, about an inch in diameter in the center should jiggle.

Cool completely before refrigerating. If you put the cheesecake in the fridge before completely cooling, it will get soggy.

The bottom of the pan can be removed from the cheesecake once the cake has firmed in the refrigerator. Use two spatulas to move cake to serving platter.

Cheesecakes taste best when brought to room temperature. This takes about 30 minutes.

  

PREVENTING CRACKS

Following the three rules above will also help prevent the top of the cheesecake from cracking.  Before baking, loosening the top of the cheesecake from the side of the pan by running the point of a sharp knife between the cheesecake and the side of the pan (just about ½ inch down) all around-press the knife against the pan, not the cake-will also help prevent cracks.  If despite all your precautions there is a tiny crack or two, then it’s time for that strawberry topping.

From Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri and other notes.