Cheesecake HELP!

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OK, I tried to bake my first cheesecake last night, for a party at my DH work. The recipe said to put all the ingredients in a spring form pan, wrap the pan in 3 layers of heavy foil and then place inside of a roasting pan, fill the roasting pan 1/2 up the spring form pan with hot water, then bake.

I did all of this. I did everything I could to insure the foil was tight and everything. When I took it out of the oven, water had found a way through the foil :confused: To say the least it ruined the whole cheesecake!!! :crying:

Oh, also, the recipe didn’t call for me to put wax paper on the bottom, which after the fact I remembered my mom used to do. Although I don’t think it would have helped in this case!!!

So my question to all of you great cooks!!

Do you have to do the water thing??
Can you just put it in another pan in the over?
Could I have just put the spring form pan in a pie pan and then put the pie pan in the roaster and put the water in the roaster?
Any other tips or suggestions?

The ingredients and time to make a cheesecake is a lot, so I hope to try again sometime. Plus I bought a spring form pan JUST to make cheesecake, what else can I make in it???
 
I have made many cheesecakes and I love using the waterbath method (which is what you did). My cheesecakes always turn out creamy and they never crack.

You have to be very careful that the foil is wrapped all the way around the springform pan. I use heavy-duty foil and I’ve never had a problem.

I’ve sometimes lined the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, but not waxed paper.
 
I’ve never used water when making a cheesecake.

Mine seem to turn out fine.

I use the recipe in the Betty Crocker cookbook.
 
I also have never used water, and my cheesecake turns out fine. Just pop the springform pan into the oven!

Peace,
Linda
 
Haven’t made a cheese cake in awhile but I seem to recall that I don’t put the spring form pan in the water but on a shelf above the water (get some what the same effect). When making custard though, I put my dishes in the pan with water.

My cakes crack but taste ever so good that it doesn’t matter, oh, I do live in a very dry climate which can definitely have an effect on cracking.

Brenda V.
 
never used the waterbath method and have made loads of cheesecakes…

Cakes crack and get dry and crumbly because they are cooked to quickly, too hot, and are cooled too quickly. Cook them on lower heat longer, and then just open the oven door slightly to allow heat to escape slowly from around the cheesecake. Then when it’s closer to room temp, take it out of the oven.

Takes a lot longer, but it’s worth it 🙂
 
I use a recipe for marble cheesecake (vanilla and chocolate) from an old Philadelphia cream cheese cookbook.

For this recipe, I don’t have to grease the springform pan or put wax paper on the bottom, I don’t have to line it with anything, or wrap it in foil, or put it in a roasting pan half filled with water – just press the graham cracker crumb crust mixture into the bottom, pour in the cheese mixture, and bake.

When it’s done, I turn off the oven, open the oven door, and leave the cake in there for a few minutes. Then, with the cake still in the oven, I reach in and run a sharp knife in between the pan and the outside of the cake, running the knife all around the pan. This prevents the sides of the cheesecake from sticking to the pan, and helps prevent cracking.

If it cracks anyway? Instant remedy – pour a can of cherry pie filling over the top of the cheesecake (use all of the cherries, but only enough of the excess mush to leave no gaps), and you have cherry cheesecake – looks and tastes great! 👍
 
Brenda_V said:
Haven’t made a cheese cake in awhile but I seem to recall that I don’t put the spring form pan in the water but on a shelf above the water (get some what the same effect). When making custard though, I put my dishes in the pan with water.

My cakes crack but taste ever so good that it doesn’t matter, oh, I do live in a very dry climate which can definitely have an effect on cracking.

Brenda V.
Click to expand...
I am getting ready to make a couple for the parish picnic, and this is what I do. It is damp where I live, so mine don’t crack.
 
I have a recipe that I worked out from scratch through trial and error. (cream cheese, lemon extract, touch of nutmeg, etc.) I have never used the water-bath method but it sounds very interesting.

I absolutely love cheesecake. Maybe I will make one this weekend. Yum! 🙂 (Not tonight though, it is Friday.)
 
CarolAnnSFO;3857910[COLOR=Black said:
]
I use a recipe for marble cheesecake (vanilla and chocolate) from an old Philadelphia cream cheese cookbook.

Your recipe is probably in the same book I use.
Click to expand...

For this recipe, I don’t have to grease the springform pan or put wax paper on the bottom, I don’t have to line it with anything, or wrap it in foil, or put it in a roasting pan half filled with water – just press the graham cracker crumb crust mixture into the bottom, pour in the cheese mixture, and bake.

I never use wax paper (which can be used instead of parchment paper 👍)

When it’s done, I turn off the oven, open the oven door, and leave the cake in there for a few minutes.(I do this) Then, with the cake still in the oven, I reach in and run a sharp knife in between the pan and the outside of the cake, running the knife all around the pan.(But not this, I will have to give this a try) This prevents the sides of the cheesecake from sticking to the pan, and helps prevent cracking.

If it cracks anyway? Instant remedy – pour a can of cherry pie filling over the top of the cheesecake (use all of the cherries, but only enough of the excess mush to leave no gaps), and you have cherry cheesecake – looks and tastes great! 👍

Yup, a can of cherries (the one with “more cherries”) fixes just about any boo boo on the cake :p.

Brenda V.
 
Brenda_V said:
Yup, a can of cherries (the one with “more cherries”) fixes just about any boo boo on the cake :p.

Brenda V.
Click to expand...
The first time I used a can of cherries was to disguise three nasty cracks radiating out from the center of the cake, but I liked the way it came out so much, that I use the cherries all the time now!

I had to experiment with brands of cherry pie filling. “More cherries” and “less goo” is definitely what you want for the top of a cheesecake!

If it was fresh cherry season, I’d just halve and pit fresh cherries, and use those.
 
Try this recipe. Very easy, very rich, very good!
DW’s Famous Deluxe Cheesecake
Crust:
1 cup Graham Cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons Sugar
¼ cup melted butter
Filling:
5 bars (8 oz. size) cream cheese (regular, not lite or lo-fat)
1 ¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla (heaping)
6 eggs
¼ cup milk
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine crust ingredients. Press into a bundt pan. Mix filling ingredients except for eggs and milk. Add eggs. Beat 2 minutes on high. Blend in milk. Spoon over crust. Bake 65 to 75 minutes. Cool 30 minutes. Chill in pan for 2 hours. Invert onto plate. Enjoy!

Easy Cheese Cake
1 (8 oz) cream cheese (room temperature)
½ cup sugar
10 oz Cool Whip (regular, not lite or lo-fat)
1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust
1 can cherry pie filling
Mix cream cheese and sugar. Mix in cool whip. Blend well. Pour into pie crust. Top with cherry pie filling. Chill. This is ridiculously easy to make and is very light and fluffy.
 
Another Recipe for the Fourth of July (and a bonus recipe)

American Berry No Bake Cheesecake
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese (softened)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
1 (8 oz) tub of Cool Whip (thawed and divided)
1 prepared graham cracker pie crust
Strawberry halves Blueberries
Beat cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice in large bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Gently stir in 2 cups of the Cool Whip. Spoon into the crust. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set. Spread remaining Cool Whip over top. Arrange berries in rows to resemble flag.
**
Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake**
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
½ cup canned pumpkin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash (each) ground cloves and nutmeg
graham cracker pie crust—9 inch
Mix cream cheese, sugar, vanilla until well blended. Add eggs, mix until blended. In separate bowl, mix pumpkin and spices. Stir 1 cup of the cream cheese batter into pumpkin mixture. Pour remaining cream cheese batter into crust. Top with pumpkin batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
 
Just thought I’d offer a VERY easy alternative - I have made them twice for parties, including a “cheesecake party” in which I won first prize 🙂 heheh

Here’s the recipe for MINI cheesecakes! You make them in a muffin tin with foil liners, so you end up with 24 individual little cheesecakes.

No-bake graham cracker crust:
1 1/2 cups of crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
  1. In small bowl, combine crumbs and sugar; add butter and blend well. Press into bottom of foil cupcake liners in your muffin tin
  2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before filling.
Mini Cheesecakes
3 8oz packages of cream cheese - softened
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix cream cheese, vanilla and sugar with electric mixer on medium until well blended. Add eggs, mix well. Pour mixture into muffin tins (over your crust that has been refrigerated) filling 2/3 full.
  2. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 325 degrees or until set. Remove from pan when cool. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Add toppings if you’d like!
 
I make the mini cheesecakes, too. Instead of going through the trouble of crushing graham crackers, etc., though, you can just plop a vanilla wafer in the bottom of each. Easy and very yummy.

I have never used a water bath for my cheesecakes, and they’ve turned out fine. I may give it a shot next time, though. Some of the previous posters have convinced me. Good luck!
 
kardelea said:
I make the mini cheesecakes, too. Instead of going through the trouble of crushing graham crackers, etc., though, you can just plop a vanilla wafer in the bottom of each. Easy and very yummy.

I have never used a water bath for my cheesecakes, and they’ve turned out fine. I may give it a shot next time, though. Some of the previous posters have convinced me. Good luck!
Click to expand...
I bought a box of pre-crushed graham crackers 🙂 heheh. Who knew they even sold that? Cater to those of us who like to take the easy route…haha:thumbsup:
 
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