With LANCEWOOD®, bringing your favourite dessert to life is a piece of cake. Say farewell to flops and up your baking game with these handy and delicious baked cheesecake tips, which are sure to delight your guests.
1. Always try to use ingredients at room temperature. When planning to bake cheesecake, take your cream cheese/sour cream/cultured cream out of the fridge at least 2 hours before starting, if possible.
2. Place the cheesecake on a baking sheet for easy handling if you’re not using the water bath method. This will also prevent butter spills in your oven in case a little butter leaks during the baking process.
3. To prevent your cheesecake from cracking, bake it in a water bath. A water bath or bain-marie is used to regulate the temperature of the cake. The water never gets warmer than the boiling point (100°C) and is the ideal environment in which to bake the perfect cheesecake. The steam created by the water also helps to prevent the cheesecake from drying out and cracking, as it keeps the air in the oven humid and moist.
4. To bake cheesecake in a water bath, wrap the pan in foil so that no water can leak inside. Place it in a deep oven pan and fill a third of the pan with boiling water. Remember to handle it carefully.
5. Alternatively, place the cheesecake on a baking sheet. Fill a deep oven pan with boiling water and place it on the bottom shelf to create steam.
6. Remember to line or grease the sides of the pan to prevent the cheesecake from sticking.
7. If you run out of baking time and your cheesecake is still wobbly in the middle, don’t panic. Leave it to cool in a switched-off oven with the door closed. By the time it has cooled off, it will be set.
8. Always make sure that you have a smooth, lump-free mixture. Tap the pan a few times on a flat surface to allow any air bubbles to escape.
9. Don’t remove the cheesecake from the oven before it has cooled completely. Run a knife around the edge as soon as it comes out of the oven.
10. Sift a tablespoon of cornflour or flour into the mixture even if the recipe doesn’t call for it. This will help to stabilise the eggs and reduce the risk of cheesecake cracking.
11. Use a potato masher to press crumb bases firmly into the pan when preparing.
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