The Art of a Perfect Cheesecake

Who knew cheesecakes could be so finicky? I have baked numerous cheesecakes and still struggle with them cracking in the middle at times. You can’t overbeat them as this will cause too much air in the batter and, therefore, crack. You can’t overbake cheesecakes as the they will tend to dry out and crack. It is recommended that you use a dark, non-stick pan for an even bake and also, use a “water bath” during baking. You just need to put about one inch of water into a cake pan then allow to sit in heated oven approximately 5 minutes before putting cheesecake in. This will put moisture in the oven to help prevent the cheesecake from drying out and cracking. Cheesecakes need to be baked at a slow rate in a 325 degree oven for approximately 50-60 minutes; some may take just a bit longer. I have used this as my basis and it does work. Although at times I forget the water bath step. That is usually when my cheesecake cracks. So don’t forget that important step. One good thing with cheesecakes when they crack is that you can add a topping of your choice to cover the mishap. No one ever notices because it is sooo good!