BellaOnline Forums Food and Wine Desserts cracked cheesecake

Do hot water baths really work? My pumpkin cheesecake looked so ugly. I need a remedy before Thanksgiving.

Yes, a hot water bath can make a huge difference. Just make sure that your spingform pan is tightly sealed, you may even want to put a seal of aluminum foil around the bottom where the seal is.

Also, be sure to let you cheesecake cool some before you release it from the pan. This will prevent it from sticking to the sides when you get ready to let it go.

And, of your cheesecake does crack - just spread some coolwhip on the top of it before serving. Everyone loves coolwhip, and then no-one will see the cracks!

You sure do know something about Everything! That's why I love this forum. I didn't want to try it unless it really works because I have a ten inch springform pan and will need to buy another pan for the bath. It doesn't fit in anything I have.

yes, the steam helps keep the custard (thats what a cheesecake is essentially.. a cheese custard)from cracking. Also, watch the time it is cooking and the temp. You can cook it too quickly and it will dry out the outside (even with a water bath) before the custard is set. Additionally, if it is too low, you can just dry the thing out from cooking it so long until it's set.

The key to perfect cheesecake is:

1. Water bath (warm water that has been pre-boiled is best)
2. Sealed springform pan (use plastic wrap and then foil)
3. Low and slow
4. take out when it is just set, there is carry-over heat that will still cook it.
5. let it cool COMPLETELY before taking it out of the pan.
6. Don't cool in the fridge, this will cause thermal shock and water retention. There is nothing worse than a wet cheesecake!

All of what you've said was told to me by a cheesecake baker I met a few years ago. He added one thing though. All of your ingredients must be a room temp. before making your cake. It's a little hard for someone like me, who just decides on the spur of the moment, "I NEED a cheesecake," and grab the cream cheese and eggs out of the frig and go to work on it.

He also said a wet dishtowel under the pan of water is good.

My sister makes the most amazing cheesecake--New York style--and says she doesn't do any of those things except the room temp ingredients. So I've wondered if the oven has something to do with it. For instance, my oven runs hot. If a recipe calls for 350, I might cook it at 345.

And on the subject, we grew up in Cincinnati, home of the most wonderful old German bakeries that made a cheesecake we have not been able to find a recipe for. It was made with a sweet yeast dough. That's all we know for sure. I've come close to making one, but not quite. Anybody else ever ate one of those? My sister and I are dying for one.

I have had ones that have the graham cracker crust, shortbread crust, ladyfinger crust, or a pre-cooked pastry like crust.

That one you suggested sounds good.

And yes.. completely forgot about the room temp thing. that is essential!

I don't always use the water bath. Sometimes I throw some water onto the bottom of my oven as I put in the cheesecake. It steams the oven and provides the essential insurance. you have to be careful though, some ovens don't work well that way.

Also, if you have a convection oven, you NEED to do the waterbath. The amount of air moved will definately dry out the cheesecake.

These measures are insurance policies. If you have an oven you understand and use room temp ingredients... you might not need them.

Thank you for the tips.....mine was wet. I dried it with Bounty! No one knew, and it didn't affect the taste. This was all an experiment for Thanksgiving. Now to make the REAL one REAL pretty! All agreed the pumpkin cheesecake was better than pumpkin pie so that's what they want.

Mmm pumpkin cheesecake. I make a dual layered one with regular cheesecake on the bottom and pumpkin pie on the top, then I also make one with pumpkin mixed in the batter and and swirl it with the regular one to make a marbled cheesecake.

Jase, your pumpkin cheesecakes sound scrumptious! Share a recipe if you can.

I've covered over many a cracked cheesecake with pie filling, which by the way is pretty tasty. I had given up on cheesecakes but with all of these excellent tips, I'm going to have to try one again. I never knew about the room temperature thing. They don't tell you these things in recipes!

When recipes show pictures of the cheesecakes, they are always so PERFECT looking, but you are so right, they don't mention room temp. nor water baths. My recipe didn't even say cool completely prior to refrigerating. I too would like Jase's recipe for the marbled pumpkin one.

When my computer is back up and running and I have access to my external once again (my comps power supply took a die and waiting for the part to come), I will look up and share my recipe.

These are good tips. I always bake cheesecakes. Never used a springform pan. Usually just leave the cheesecake in the pan. I'm going to invest in springform and try the warm bath while cooking. I recently saw this technique on the Food Network.

I got my springform pan - new - on E-bay. I love it; it was $10.00 w/ free shipping.

Oopsie, i forgot to send ya'll my recipe. I will remember to do it by this weekend.

Cool, can't wait

Crushed gingersnaps make a great crust for pumpkin cheesecake too.

Got side tracked, but thanks to a little PM reminder, here is my recipe ;0)

Crust:
1 1/2 cups gingersnap cookies or pecan sandies broken into pieces
1 1/2 cups pecans (6 ounce bag)
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar or brown organic raw sugar
3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
4 8-ounce packages full fat or light cream cheese (no fat free)
1 1/2 cups raw Demera sugar (or 2 cups regular granulated)
1 1/2 cups pumpkin (either fresh roasted or canned unseasoned)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
4 large eggs (room temp)

9" springform pan
9" parchment paper round
Aluminum Foil
Plastic Wrap
2-3 inch deep lasagne pan
Boiling Water (enough to fill pan 1/2 up side of springform pan)
Mixer
Food Processor

Crust Instructions:

In your food processor add your cookies and pecans. Pulse until sand like. Add sugar and pulse to mix. Melt butter in microwave and mix into cookie/nut mixture. Stir until well blended.

Put your springform pan together. Spray a little cooking spray in the bottom and add parchment round. Press crust mixture into the bottom and press firmly in the bottom and half way up the sides.

Filling:

In a mixer, combine your cream cheese, half of your heavy cream, and sugar. Mix with whip attachment until light and creamy. Scoop out one cup of the mixture and reserve. Add spices, pumpkin and mix well. Slowly add eggs one at a time until fully mixed.

Construction:

Preheat oven to 350 F

Wrap bottom of springform pan with plastic wrap. Don't use a lot, it's only as a secondary protection. Place aluminum foil around bottom of springform pan and cover the plastic wrap. Pour cheesecake mixture into crust. It will come close to the top but don't be scared. Smooth with a spatula. Place pie in lasagne pan in the center with room on all sides. Add boiling water until it comes half w3ay up the side of the springform pan. Bake for one hour and fifteen minutes until sides are set and center is a little wiggly. Remove from oven and put sprinform on a cooling rack until set and cool. Remove plastic wrap and foil, and place in fridge over night or a minumum of 8 hours.

Completion:

Take reserved cream cheese mixture and remaining half cup of cream. In your mixer mix together until light and fluffy. Spread on top of completely cooled cheesecake that has had the water removed from the surface with a paper towel. Place in fridge until completely cool and set.

When you wish to serve, use a warm wet knife to seperate the edges from the pan.

Topping suggestions:

Whipped cinnamon cream spread across the top of the cheesecake with a drizzle of warm carmel and pecan pieces that have been toasted.

PS - i cannot find the marble cheesecake recipe but you can do something similar by mixing together the reserved cheesecake mixture and doloping it on the pumpkin filling and using a knife to marbelize before baking.

Woo Hoo, Thank you Jase.

My recipe is similar but your crust is yummier! Now that I have better instructions, I have to try yours this weekend.

Another thing I do is sprinkle some sea salt on the top of the cheesecake after it's been drizzled in carmel sauce and nuts. It works, really it does. I don't know why, but that little bit of salt just makes the flavors pop. But you'll notice I didn't put any in the cheesecake itself. I don' particullary like it in the cheesecake even though some recipes call for a dash

Salty and sweet is always good together.

Well it looked beautiful but the middle was raw. I have no idea what went wrong.

Quote: "And on the subject, we grew up in Cincinnati, home of the most wonderful old German bakeries that made a cheesecake we have not been able to find a recipe for. It was made with a sweet yeast dough. That's all we know for sure. I've come close to making one, but not quite. Anybody else ever ate one of those? My sister and I are dying for one."

Could this be the recipe?
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Wanted to make sure this was brought current since Thanksgiving is next week. Jase's recipe is the bomb!