10 tips and tricks to upgrade your cheesecake game
The creamy goodness of a cheesecake coupled with the crunchy salty base is the best kind of heaven for every dessert lover craves for. Eating it is a piece of (cheese) cake making the perfect cheesecake can be riddled with a few roadblocks. Here are best 10 cheesecake tips and tricks you need to get that smooth creamy crack free (yes, crack free!) cheesecake.
1. Select the right bakeware
Use a spring form pan, it makes demoulding your cheesecake a breeze and keeps the most important part i.e. the crunchy base intact!
2. Prebake
Prebaking the crust ensures it remains super crunchy. It is not something you HAVE to do, but it helps a great deal. You will know the difference only once you try it.
3. Mix it right
Over or under mixing can completely ruin the texture of your cheesecake. If you don’t mix it well enough your cheesecake with be riddles with lumps and over mixing removes all the air that you carefully incorporated and makes your final product more prone to cracks. The best thing to do is give it a real good mix before adding in eggs and then just fold in the batter.
4. Cheat code
A cheesecake should ideally be made only of cheese and cream, but adding a tiny hint of cornflour to the batter is a fullproof way to ensure it is crack free and sets well.
5. Use a water bath
Most recipes may not call for it, but a great way to avoid your cheesecake from cracking is to bake it in a water bath. The water bath helps control the temperature making sure your cheesecake cooks evenly.
6. Do the wobble test
To check the doneness of the cheesecake give it a little shake after the minimum baking time is done. When the sides are firmly set and the center still slightly wobbly – your cheesecake is done. Over baking the cheesecake will make it dry and also cause it to crack.
7. …for a crack free cheesecake
Once your cheesecake is out of the oven, run a knife around the rim to prevent it from sinking in the middle and to avoid cracks around it. A cheesecake will pull off the sides slightly as it cools, skipping this step will give you a cheesecake with a clear crack between the center and the edges.
8. Temperature is key
Never demould a hot cheese cake. A cheesecake compresses slightly when it cools which gets rid of any cracks that may have formed because of expansion during the baking process.
9. Cut the perfect slice
To cut your cheesecake into perfect slices use a long thin non serrated knife. Dip it in warm water before every use to get really neat edges and then use a cake slice to transfer it onto a plate.
10. Serve it with style
If you have followed all of these tips, your cheesecake is going to be way to perfect to even need a garnish or accompaniment but fresh fruit compotes and chocolate curls work great brilliantly and of course that one dollop of whipped cream on the side!