How to Make the Creamiest Cheesecake

Whether you think it's a cake or a pie, you can safely say that

cheesecake

is one of our favorite desserts. Here at tasty we try a ton of different recipes and techniques to find a foolproof ultra-creamy vanilla

cheesecake

, so here's how to

make

a crack-free classic. Cheesecake Every good cheesecake starts with a springform pan. Greasing the pan with nonstick spray or butter will help remove it easily and prevent the line from breaking. Adding a band of parchment paper will ensure that you have those perfect smooth sides when you go to remove the springform. The base of the cheesecake is the crust.

It only requires three ingredients to

make

a classic graham cracker crust. This is the simplest part of the recipe the combination of sugar and butter helps hold everything together for a truly fantastic crust. people like to use other types of cookies you can easily swap them out right here we are going to make a bottom crust only some people like the crust on the sides it is totally a matter of preference just use a flat surface to spread the cookie mixture Graham in an even layer now you are going to bake it for eight to ten minutes until golden and let it cool while you prepare the filling.

Now it seems like a lot of dairy, but remember that it is a rich and velvety dessert, you really need it. here we are adding full fat cream cheese here this is not the time to skimp on reduced fat, I know it seems like a lot of sugar, we try to reduce it, but you really miss out on some of that classic cheesecake flavor, make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature before starting this way they will be easier to mix and will give you a smooth, lump-free cheesecake. We're adding a little heavy cream, it's a subtle difference but it will help soften the dough.

It's a personal preference and you can leave it out, but we wouldn't. I will add sour cream for a little flavor and I will also add a little flour which will help bind the cheesecake together and help prevent cracking. To flavor the cake, I'm using whole vanilla beans. A very easy way to remove the seeds is by dividing them in half lengthwise and using the blade of a knife to slowly scrape the seeds away, while in a pinch you can use vanilla extract. The intense flavor of a bean is really hard to beat. Eggs are crucial in any baked cheesecake, they add creaminess and also help bind the cheesecake as it bakes.

Some recipes will require adding additional egg yolks. In testing we found that this makes a denser cheesecake. so for our airy version we stick with whole eggs only, so add the eggs one at a time, if you add them all at once you risk having a very lumpy batter, so this part is crucial as soon as eggs are incorporated, stopping mixing and mixing can result in a very dense cheesecake. You'll also want to scrape the bowl to make sure everything is mixed well. From here, it's very easy: simply pour the dough over the cooled base and smooth the top if we did.

Don't bake the crust, it would blend into the dough, who wants even cooking and cracking to be a big concern when making cheesecake? One of the best ways to avoid this is to use a water bath while baking, even if the pan is sealed there. There will be a small opening where water could pass through and it will give you a soggy crust to prevent water from seeping through. We'll wrap our springform form in two sheets of aluminum foil to really seal it, place the form in a large, heavy baking dish and fill it. with hot water about an inch up the sides of the pan, the hot water creates a moist environment in an otherwise dry oven so the cheesecake doesn't split as it dries.

There are several methods you can start your cheesecake in a hot oven and then lower the temperature while rising a little, you also run the risk of burning or cracking your cheesecake for our recipe, we are going to do moderate, steady heat. throughout the process, then turn off the heat and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour to finish baking, letting the cake sit in the oven allows it to settle completely in the middle and gain a little color. You can see that the cake they took out after an hour is not fully baked and looks like a sticky mess, sometimes cracks occur, there are many reasons that can cause a crack, such as high temperature when mixing a water bath, but this does not mean that you can't end up with a beautiful and delicious cheesecake at the end, an excellent one.

The way to top a cracked cheesecake is to make a sour cream topping. This topping is really simple, just sour cream sugar and vanilla extract are mixed together, not only does it cover the crack but it is also really delicious and can be used on cheesecakes without cracking like Well, for a sour cream topping you don't need a water bath, just bake it for 10 to 15 minutes so the top is firm and continue the recipe as normal after sitting in the oven for another hour, the cheesecake should cool to room temperature. Another way to prevent cracks is to gently go around the edge of the cheesecake with a knife;

At this point, the center of the cheesecake should still jiggle slightly, so once the cheesecake has cooled, place it in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap to ideally be completely set for overnight, but you can still get a really good result in about four hours to remove the cheesecake from the pan, unhook the side of the springform pan and carefully lift the frame, gently remove the parchment and you will see those beautiful smooth sides, There are a variety of toppings you can add to your cheesecake, but for hours we'll keep it simple with a ton of fresh berries to get the perfect slice, fill a large bowl with hot water, dip the knife in the water, then dry it with gentle patting before slicing with a hot knife to ensure you get a smooth cut every time We love to serve our cheesecake with a berry, which is basically a fancy word for a berry puree that has been cooked until thick , it is perfect.

Add in along with all those beautiful fresh berries there's a reason we make so many cheesecakes here at Tasty they're relatively easy, they're great for a crowd, and most importantly, they're downright delicious. If you use these tips and tricks, you too can become dreamier. the

creamiest

cheesecake of your life