Delicious, creamy, smooth, divine... the adjectives that describe the taste of cheesecake are descriptive and hunger provoking. Whatever word you use to describe it, cheesecake is one dessert that brings a decadent finish to a meal. In honor of today being National Cheesecake Day, I put together a little lesson on perfecting the art that is the cheesecake.
• Before starting to bake, be sure that all of the ingredients are at room temperature. If you do not have time to bring the elements to room temperature before mixing, soften the cream cheese in the microwave: Unwrap and place in a microwave safe dish. Microwave on high for 15-30 seconds.• Do not over beat the filling. This will cause additional air in the batter and may cause cracking.
• Invest in a spring form pan.• To prevent leaks in the oven, cover the bottom of the spring form pan with foil. OR place the spring form pan on top of a cookie sheet or pizza pan.• Don't open the oven a bunch of times when the cake is baking.• A cheesecake is ready when the edges are slightly puffed and the center jiggles when shaken.• When you remove the cake from the oven, run a butter knife around the top edge of the pan. This will help the crust naturally cool away from the sides of the pan.
• Allow sufficient time to cool and chill before serving.• Garnish a cheesecake directly before serving.• To prevent cracking, bake the cheesecake in a water bath to maintain moisture.• Before filling the pan with the crust and batter, generously grease the sides. Cheesecakes shrink as they cool and you want it to shrink in on the sides rather than pulling apart in the middle.• Eliminate all lumps in the cream cheese before incorporating the eggs.
Got a helpful hint for making cheesecake? Please share it with us below!
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