Why did my cheesecake crack?

There are several reasons as to why your cheesecake may have cracked: Too much air was incorporated into the cheesecake while mixing Excessive mixing while making the batter can cause a build up of air pockets. When baked these air pockets will rise to the surface of the cake and cause cracks. In order to prevent this make sure you beat your cheesecake batter slowly and use room temperature ingredients so that everything can be incorporated easily. There wasn’t enough moisture in the oven The hot water bath the cheesecake sits in helps to add extra moisture to the oven and the surface of the cheesecake. It also evens out the oven temperature, reducing the possibility of cracks The oven temperature was too high When the oven temperature is too high or has sudden changes it can cause cracks on the surface of the cake. Increases in oven temperature case the cake to rise, and sudden rises will cause cracks. The hot water bath will help to even out the oven temperature, however make sure your oven is set at the right setting. This cake starts at a lower oven temperature to set the cake before an increase at the end to create the golden brown surface. This is important as if baked at the higher temperature throughout the cheesecake will turn out cracked. The increase at the end is optional, however I love the look of a golden cheesecake. It makes the plain old cake a little interesting!

Does the cheesecake have to be cooked in a water bath?

The cheesecake doesn’t have to be cooked in a water bath, but keep in mind that if you don’t use one your cheesecake will have a cracked surface. The hot water bath helps to even out the oven temperature and bring an even bake to the cake.

How do I fix a cracked cheesecake?

Unfortunately you can’t un-crack a cheesecake, but there are so many ways to cover it up! You can spread over a berry jam, pipe on swirls of whipped cream, dust it in a thick layer of icing sugar and so on. The options are endless so pick your favourite cheesecake toppings and get decorating. Honestly cheesecakes are one of those things that flavour-wise will never go wrong, so the cheesecake will be equally as delcious!

Can I make this gluten-free?

Yes definitely! This cheesecake uses cornstarch in the batter rather than flour so the filling is already gluten free. Simply choose your favourite gluten free cookie to crush instead of your standard cookie!

Do I need to use a spring-form pan?

Yes! If you make the cheesecake in a regular cake tin you’ll have a lot of difficulty getting it out of the pan. While it isn’t impossible I definitely wouldn’t recommend it. Using a springform pan means that the sides can seperate from the base, making un-moulding so much easier. If you have a cake ring it could also work! Just wrap the base of the ring with aluminium foil and use as you would with a spring form pan.

How do I create a water-bath?

Most recipes will wrap the base of the tin with aluminium foil. If you don’t have a slightly larger cake tin or pan you can use this method as well. I would recommend wrapping the bottom of your tin twice to prevent water from entering. While most people use the foil technique I find this still leads to a cheesecake with a soggy bottom. The extra moisture in the oven and around the foil still manages to seep in and and condensate into the foil. By placing the cake in another pan before placing it in the hot water bath you can avoid having the pan directly in the water, completely removing the possibility of water seeping into your base. There will still be some condensation in the pan, but that is something unavoidable. If you want to be extra careful you can wrap the bottom of your pan with foil as well for extra protection! When making the hot water batch be sure to use boiling water and not cold water. While you are putting it in the oven cold water will bring down the temperature of the oven if used, increasing the bake time your cheesecake will need.

New York Cheesecake Recipe: Rich & Creamy Classic

New York Cheesecake

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5 from 7 reviews

With all the tips and tricks for a perfect crack-free cheesecake this recipe for a rich and creamy classic New York cheesecake will become your go to!

Author: Catherine Zhang
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 1 x 8-inch cake 1x
Category: Cake
Method: Intermediate
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units Scale

Base

140 g Digestive/shortbread biscuits (5oz)
50 g Unsalted butter (1/3 cup)

Cheesecake

500 g Cream cheese (17.6oz), room temperature
130 g Sugar (2/3 cup)
150 g Plain greek yogurt or sour cream (1/2 cup 1 tsp), room temperature
175 g Thickened/Heavy cream (3/4 cup)
2 Eggs, room temperature
1 tbsp Cornstarch
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170C/340F
Place the cookies in the bowl of a food processor, blitz until a fine crumb
Add melted butter and process until combined
Transfer to a 8-inch springform tin and press the crumbs into the base with a smooth bottomed object (I use my measuring cups)
In a bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth
Add the greek yogurt, thickened cream and cornstarch, beat until smooth
Add the eggs, vanilla extract, lemon juice and zest, beat until no lumps remain
Pour the batter over the base
Smoothen out the top and place the springform tin inside a larger tin/baking dish
Place the double tinned cake in a baking tray filled with 2cm of boiling water
Place it all in the oven and bake for 30 minutes
Increase the heat to 190C /375F and bake for a further 15 minutes to create a golden top (optional)
Turn the heat off and leave the cake in the oven for 30 minutes
Cool and refrigerate overnight, or minimum 4 hours
Serve with whipped cream!

Find it online: https://zhangcatherine.com/new-york-cheesecake/