The Ultimate Cheesecake Guide – 12 Tips For Making The Perfect Cheesecake
In this ultimate cheesecake guide are 15 tips bundled for baking the perfect cheesecake. Are you going to bake a cheesecake and don’t know how to start? In this ultimate cheesecake guide, a lot of tips are given to help you bake the perfect cheesecake. What are the secrets to making the perfect cheesecake?
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Cheesecakes can be a little intimidating to make because you have to think about a lot of things, like room temperature ingredients, water baths and so much more. It is easy to ruin a cheesecake if you don’t know what you are doing. Cracks in cheesecakes are a common thing.
So how do you make the perfect cheesecake? In this ultimate cheesecake guide, all the steps for making the perfect cheesecake are bundled together. Explaining to you why and how you can make the perfect cheesecake. I am sure you can do it. Even if you don’t have any experience in baking cheesecake.
Ultimate cheesecake guide – Tips for the perfect cheesecake:
- Use a springform pan
- Wrap the springform in aluminium foil
- Break the crust cookies in really fine crumbs
- Use ingredients at room temperature
- Use full fat ingredients
- Add a little cornstarch or flour
- Don’t overmix
- Use the right baking temperature
- Use a wather bath
- Don’t open the oven while baking
- Don’t overbake
- Let the cheesecake cool down properly
What is a cheesecake?
“A cheesecake, according to Wikipedia, is a sweet dessert consisting of one or more layers, usually a bottom and a filling. The main, and the thickest filling consist of a mixture of soft, fresh cheese, eggs, and sugar. If there is a bottom layer, it most often consists of a base made from crushed cookies, graham crackers, pastry, and sponge cake. Cheesecake may be baked or unbaked (and is usually refrigerated)”.
What types of cheesecakes are there?
- Classic cheesecake
- No-bake cheesecake
- New York Cheesecake
- Japanese Cotton Cheesecake
- Vagan cheesecake
Ultimate Cheesecake Guide
When you finish reading this ultimate cheesecake guide, you will know all the tips for making the perfect cheesecake at home! So where are you waiting for? Read the ultimate cheesecake guide:
1. Use a springform pan
It is really important to use a springform pan. A springform pan is a bakeware that has sides that can be removed from the base. A springform pan makes it easier to remove your cake without falling apart because you don’t have to flip the whole pan over.
Always grease the bottom and the sides of the springform for smooth removal of the pan.
2. Wrap the springform pan in aluminum foil
When using a water bath, wrap your springform pan in with aluminum foil to keep water from getting in. There is also a little chance that spring forms can leak. It is easier to wrap the pan than to clean the oven.
3. Fine crumbs
One common mistake for making the crust of a cheesecake is not breaking the cookies or graham crackers into really small crumbs. You can do crush the cookies using a blender, a food processor or a plastic bag with a rolling pin. Press the crust down in the springform pan with the bottom of a glass or a metal measuring cup. You can prevent a springform from leaking by pressing the crust also into the corners of the springform.
4. Use ingredients at room termperature
This is the most important tip of all. Make sure that all the ingredients of the filling are at room temperature to avoid cracks in the cheesecake and have a smooth batter. Baking is science and the temperature makes really a difference.
- Cream cheese: Having the cream cheese at room temperature will not only avoid the cheesecake from cracking, it also helps the cream cheese mix better with the sugar and prevents the lumps in the batter. Remove the cream cheese from the fridge an hour before making the batter. If you are in a rush, you can also soften the cheesecake by putting it in the microwave for 5 seconds.
- Eggs: Egg yolks break more easily at room temperature, allowing them to mix more evenly with the other ingredients. Cold eggs could re-harden the fat in cheesecakes, resulting in curdled batter and a lumpy cheesecake. Preferably remove the eggs 30 minutes from the fridge before making the batter.
- Other ingredients: all the other ingredients of the filling must also be room temperature. If they are added cold to the mixture, they will chill the cream cheese. That results in a lumpy batter even if the cream cheese started at room temperature.
5. Use full fat ingredients
Always choose full-fat ingredients for baking a cheesecake for a better flavor and creamier texture. The fat helps the cheesecake set. The mixture will be more fluid using low-fat ingredients and leads to failures.
6. Add a little bit of cornstarch or flour
Adding a little bit of flour or cornstarch (about 1 tablespoon) in the cheesecake filling prevents the cheesecake from cracking and makes it easier to cut the cheesecake into clean slices.
7. Don’t overmix
When making your filling don’t overbeat, while overbeating causes air bubbles. Once baked, the cheesecake will crack, because the air bubbles will burst. Absolutely do not overmix the eggs!! Beat them as last and one at the time until combined. In addition, make sure that you scrape the sides of the bowl throughout mixing for a smoother mixture without lumps. Furthermore, mix at low speed. Beating the mixture at a high speed will cause air bubbles as well.
8. Use the right baking temperature
Baking the cheesecake at a low constant temperature is important for avoiding cracks because cheesecake can overcook easily. Eggs proteins are creamy when cooked gently at a low temperature, that is the result you want to have. Something you don’t want is eggs proteins to become quite firm, that’s what happens when they are cooked at a high temperature. In addition, it is important that a cheesecake is being baked in a preheated oven so there are no big changes in temperature. Big changes in temperature lead to cracks in your cheesecake. Another tip is to bake it in the middle of the oven for the best result at the right temperature.
9. Use a water bath
Why use a water bath for baking cheesecake?
A water bath uses steam to evenly cook the cake. It prevents the cheesecake from, drying out, burning, and cracking. You can also bake a cheesecake without a water bath, but it has a much higher risk of cracking, burning, and cooking unevenly.
How do you prepare a water bath?
Preheat the oven. Fill a tray with hot water and place it on the bottom rack of the oven. Wrap the springform pan in foil and place it in the middle of the oven and bake the cheesecake with the water tray below. The springform and the water tray should not touch each other, it is like au bain-marie heating of the cheesecake.
10. Don’t open the oven while baking
Big changes in temperatures are not good for a cheesecake and will result in cracks in the cheesecake. So be patient and don’t open the oven while baking. Wait until the cheesecake is ready.
11. Don’t overbake
An over-baked cheesecake results in a dry, and rubbery cheesecake with cracks. Giving the cheesecake a little jiggle after baking time is the best way to see if the cheesecake is done. The cheesecake is ready when it is mostly set and jiggles just a little in the center. The cheesecake needs more time to bake if the whole cheesecake jiggles. Be careful with jiggling. You don’t want to jiggle too hard and ruin the cheesecake.
12. Let the cheesecake cool down properly
- Leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door open after baking, because it reduces big changes in temperature and therefore avoids cracks. Turn off the oven and open the oven, after the cheesecake is done baking. In this way, the cheesecake can cool down slowly. Let it in the oven for about an hour, until the cheesecake cools to room temperature.
- Let the cheecake completely cool down at room temperature bufore placing it in the refrigerator. You have to be patient and wait for the cheesecake to be at room temperature before you can set it in the refrigerator. The cheesecake will crack when you put it hot in the refrigerator. The cheesecake has to cool and set for about 6 hours in the refrigerator. The firmer the cheesecake is, the cleaner the slices will be when served.
- Don’t remove the springform pan untill the cheesecake has cooled down. Don’t remove the springform pan until the cheesecake is completely cooled down. You can remove the springform pan when the cooling process is ready, and the cheesecake has been refrigerated for a few hours. Otherwise, the cheesecake will collapse.
Loved reading these tips for making the perfect cheesecake? Besides this ultimate cheesecake guide, I have made the ultimate baking guide. In the ultimate baking guide, a lot of tips are bundled preventing you from making some common baking mistakes.
FAQ about cheesecakes
How long can you store a cheesecake?
Fridge
You can keep a cheesecake in the fridge for three days. Cover the cheesecake with clingfilm or in a pedal pin bag before putting it in the fridge. You can make the bottom of a cheesecake up to two days in advance and store it in the fridge until then.
Freezer
You can also freeze an undecorated cheesecake for three months. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer 24 hours before serving and then decorate.
What is the best way to cut a cheesecake?
The easiest way to cut a cheesecake is to dip a large clean chef’s knife in hot water for a few moments and then dry it with a towel. This allows the warm knife to slice through the cake. Then repeat these steps every time you cut through the cake.
How can you prevent a cheesecake from cracking?
Use room temperature ingredients, don’t overmix the cheesecake, add a little bit of cornstarch or flour to the mixture, use a water bath, don’t open the oven door, let the cheesecake cool down before refrigerating.
What are the ingrendients for a cheesecake?
The filling of a cheesecake will include the following ingredients: cream cheese, eggs, sugar. Optional sour cream or heavy cream, salt, flour, or cornstarch.
- Cream cheese: You can’t make a cheesecake without the most important ingredient: cream cheese. Make sure that the cream cheese is always at room temperature.
- Eggs: Eggs give the cheesecake a rich and smooth texture.
- Sugar: You can use granulated sugar or powdered sugar for a cheesecake. Granulated sugar beats a little bit more air in your cheesecake, without creating too many air bubbles.
OPtional ingredients
- Sour cream or heavy cream: You can use sour cream or heavy cream in your cheesecake recipe because they soften the texture of the cheese and they add some moisture to the cheesecake. Not every recipe uses one of these ingredients.
- Salt: adding a punch of salt enhaces the natural flavors of the cheesecake.
- Flour: adding a little bit of flour or cornstarch prevents the cheesecake from cracking and makes it easier to cut into clean slices, though it changes the texture of the cheesecake a bit.
Do you want to make a fresh cheesecake for the summer? Then this passionfruit cheesecake will be the perfect fit for you.
🍽 Equipment
The basic equipment you need for making a basic cheesecake:
