White Chocolate and Ginger Cheesecake | Community Recipes | Nigella's Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What not to do when making cheesecake? ›

Taste: Sour Cream: This gave it more of a tart taste. This could be utilized if you are going to make a flavored cheesecake where a more tart taste would help the other flavors.

The differences in ingredients and preparation methods are what create the texture. Both may be smooth and creamy but not in the same way. A baked cheesecake usually has a silky consistency and firmer texture. A no-bake cheesecake will have a lighter, softer, almost fluffy texture, often more like a pudding or mousse.

While a normal baked cheesecake involves cooking the delicate eggy custard at a relatively low heat, this cake gets somewhat rougher treatment — it's cooked at what's technically too high a temperature, meaning the parts of the cake in contact with the pan brown into a natural crust, while the top burns in places and ...

Don't Use Cold Ingredients

Cold ingredients are a big no-no when it comes to cheesecake. If your ingredients are cold you will have to mix them longer which will whip too much air into your batter. If the cake has too much air, it will rise too much in the oven and then the middle will sink when cooling.

Eggs: Three whole eggs hold the cheesecake together. I also add an extra yolk, which enhances the cake's velvety texture. (Whites tend to lighten the cake, which is actually fine — if you don't feel like separating that fourth egg and don't mind some extra airiness in the texture, just add in the whole egg.)

Regular cheesecake relies on heavy cream and sour cream to thin the batter and create a silkier, creamier texture. New York cheesecake is heavy on the cream cheese which is why it's so dense and rich. Extra cream cheese isn't the only thing that makes New York cheesecake so special.

The addition of cream gives a velvety, smooth texture, but too much of it and you begin to mask the cream cheese flavor. Sour cream supports the underlying tang of the cream cheese, but, if overdone, it takes over as the dominant flavor. You need a little of each -- cream for texture and sour cream for flavor.

Greek yogurt is a thick and creamy yogurt with a tangy taste similar to sour cream. It can be used as a 1:1 substitute for sour cream in cheesecake. Greek yogurt is a great option for those looking for a healthier option, as it is lower in fat and calories than sour cream.

Description:Creamy vanilla cheesecake baked in a graham crust. Also available in a base and dome format for in-store bakeries (Item #107290)

Which baking method is best for cheesecake? ›

The Traditional Method: Bake at moderate to low heat (300–325°F) until the edges are set, but the center is still jiggly. Cool on the counter with an inverted bowl. The New York Method: The cake goes into the oven at 500°F for 15 minutes (min.) and then the temperature is reduced to 200°F for one hour.

A French Style Cheesecake is simple, elegant, and a bit different than the popular one New York Cheesecake. The French one it's creamier and leaves you with a strong vanilla flavor from the first bite.

Avoid Overcooking

DON'T overbake. Overbaking a cheesecake can cause cracks on the surface. The center of the cheesecake should still be a little wobbly, the filling still pale, and the outer ring slightly puffy and firm. It will continue to cook as it cools and maintains that smooth and rich texture.

When it comes to New York style cheesecake, heavy cream or sour cream is added to the mixture to create a denser, smoother, and creamier cheesecake. A springform pan allows for even baking and a high temperature creates a nice, attractive golden brown crust.

The key difference between baked and no-bake cheesecakes is the former's superior texture. Baked cheesecakes have a dense, fluffy, moist and smooth texture, which is not possible with the recipe for no-bake cheesecake.

Don't overmix ingredients.

You want to start with room temperature cream cheese. This way you will be able to blend your ingredients very easily without overmixing. When the batter is overmixed, too much air is added and will cause your cake to rise in the oven and then collapse and crack when being removed.

Cheesecake cracks for three reasons: over aeration by over mixing the eggs, to avoid: add eggs last one at a time and after incorporating them, no more mixing . Prior to adding the eggs beat as much as needed. air pockets in batter: to avoid bang filled pan on counter three times before placing in oven.

We recommend wrapping it in plastic wrap and then placing it in a storage container. Use our Test Kitchen's complete guide to making cheesecake to know the proper times and temperatures for every step of the process.