10 Easy Tips For Baking Your Best Cheesecake

No matter whether you are a beginner or a professional baker, cheesecakes are an easy and elegant dessert to make.

1. Good Beginnings

Use only good quality and the freshest ingredients to produce the best cheesecake.

Make sure all the ingredients are measured accurately and each step in your recipe is followed carefully to obtain the best results.

2. Crust

The base of a cheesecake is normally 0.5 to 1 cm thick, depending on individual taste.

Sponge cake or biscuit crumbs can be used. Plain digestive biscuits give the base a mild flavor, while butter cookies can be used for a rich buttery flavor.

Chopped nuts, oatmeal or coconut may be added to give the crust a crunchy texture.

Sugar is often not used in the crust.

The base ingredients are mixed together with soft or melted butter to form a solid base for the cheesecake.

The base can be hardened either by baking or chilling before pouring in the filling. I personally like the crust to be baked because it enhances the flavor and aroma of the cake. It also prevents a soggy bottom in the cheesecake.

3. Filling

Start out with the cream cheese, ricotta or quark (whichever your recipe calls for) at room temperature. It results in a smoother product with no cheese lumps when baked.

The cream cheese must be whipped until smooth before adding the eggs.

Add the eggs one at a time, whipping the cheese at medium speed until just combined. Try not to over-mix the batter. This step helps to prevent the cake from cracking.

4. Baking

Cheesecakes are usually baked in a springform pan at a low temperature.

Baking cheesecakes using the “water bath” method will also help to prevent it from cracking. This method involves putting some water – about an inch – in a tray and placing the cheesecake (which is ready for baking) on the tray. For added security, wrap the bottom of the cake pan with layer of aluminum foil to prevent water from entering. This method also works well with a crustless cheesecake.

5. Cooling

Some recipes will tell you to turn off the oven and leave your cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar for about 30 minutes before removing it to cool on a cooling rack at room temperature.  This step is also supposed to prevent the cake from cracking. I usually do not do this, but place it directly on a cooling rack. But always check the recipe.

When the cake has cooled, loosen the ring (sides) of the pan and remove. Chill the cake in the refrigerator overnight before sliding the cake onto a serving plate.

6. Serving

To remove the cooled cheesecake from the springform cake base, insert 2 off-set spatulas between the cheesecake and the bottom of the springform pan. Lift the cheesecake carefully onto the cake plate. The first time you do it, it might seem a bit tricky, but it’s really straight forward and easy the second time. 🙂

To slice a cheesecake, it is best to use a hot knife (knife which has been dipped in hot water) to obtain a clean cut with each slice.

What’s your favorite cheesecake recipe? Have you tried my Cherry Lime Cheesecake recipe?

 

Tags: baking, cheesecake, Cheesecake Baking Tips, how to tips

Category: Baking Tips