How to tell when cheesecake should come out of oven?

Question

How jiggly is the center supposaed to be? since the center is jiggly...I assume the toothpick test wont work.

Answer 1

A perfectly baked cheesecake will be puffed around the edges, yet the center should be slightly moist and jiggly. Unless otherwise directed by your recipe, turn the oven off and allow cheesecake to remain in oven, with the door ajar, for 30 minutes or until center is completely set. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack away from drafts before refrigerating.

Cheesecake Tips
http://www.cooksrecipes.com/tips/cheesecake-tips.html

Answer 2

Actually you can let it cool in the oven without getting ill. The heat kills any bacteria. I'm a microbiologist and I make cheesecakes. I have always cooled my cakes in the oven (it also cooks them slowly to get that great texture).

Another thing is a great oven is a must. The Oven I have right now is gas but a cheap brand. i have to raise my temp from 325 to 365 because it isn't insulated. I guess I can get a new oven!!

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How to tell when cheesecake should come out of oven?
How jiggly is the center supposaed to be? since the center is jiggly...I assume the toothpick test wont work.

Answer 4

Cook precisely to the directions in the recipe. Use the size of pan the recipe calls for. Recipes are always tested before making it into cook books and the cook time is always correct IF you make sure your oven is preheated for the proper amount of time and, as said above, you use the right pan size...put in the little devil and start your timer. The center should (of course) not be liquid, however, it will be very jiggly. Once cooled you will see that it is just fine.

Answer 5

The center is not supposed to be jiggly anymore.

Answer 6

Introduction:


Cheesecakes are of America's most favorite desserts. Everybody has his favorite ranging from the purist's choice which is dense and creamy called a NY Style Cheesecake or Junior's Famous No. 1 Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe to light and airy as in my Reduced-Fat Chocolate Cheesecake. You can bake your own or purchase one ready-made from the frozen food section of the supermarket or online.


From:"chris" via email
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Cheesecake troubleshooting
Date:Sun, 27 Nov 2005 18:40:22 -0800
I was looking for some helpful hints on the art of baking cheesecakes and was sent this site with all the hints one could ever imagine!! I feel much better after reading that a cheesecake just might crack and it will still taste great. I have a little bit of confidence in trying one now!!

I am sending this site to my sister.
What a wonderful baking site!
Thanks!
Though a cheesecake can be savory (and served with crackers as an appetizer), most of us think of the term as describing a luscious, rich dessert. The texture of any cheesecake can vary greatly-from light and airy to dense and rich to smooth and creamy depending on the ingredients and mixing methods used. It is really a baked custard and needs to be treated as such. Just as most baked products are essentially flour protein structures, custards are egg protein structures.

I have included all sorts of information about making your own cheesecake, from its ingredients, how to mix, how long to bake and serving tips. My tips will hopefully come in handy helping to prevent the #1 problem most of us bakers have, which is a cracking cheesecake or one that puffs up in the oven and falls during baking. I will also show you how to prevent water from leaking into the pan when placed in a waterbath, how to remove the springform pan's bottom, storage tips and of course, lots of cheesecake recipes!

What is a Cheesecake?:

Cheesecakes comprise two or three components: a crust, sometimes prebaked, the filling and optionally a topping layered in a special Springform Pan and baked with or without a waterbath. After baking, cheesecakes must be chilled a few hours, preferably overnight, in order to gel.

How to tell when a cheesecake is done baking.

All dessert cheesecake fillings begin with a soft cheese - usually cream cheese, but it can contain mascarpone, cottage cheese, farmer cheese, Neufchatel, ricotta, goat cheese or yogurt cheese, cottage cheese or sometimes Swiss or cheddar cheese if savory.

For a thick cheesecake recipe, baked in an 8- or 9-inch Springform or a 9- x 2-inch cake pan, look for recipes that contain 2 pounds (4, 8-ounce packs) of creamcheese.
A classic cheesecake filling is made by creaming the cheese and mixing it with sugar (for desserts), eggs, and vanilla extract or other flavorings such as chocolate, peppermint, mocha, lemon, cherry and more. The Pumpkin Cheesecake is one of my favorites. Add-ins, such as chocolate chips or chopped candy can be folded into the batter before baking, as in the Peppermint Candy Cheesecake Recipe.

Sometimes a starch, such as cornstarch or flour are added to the cheesecake's ingredients, such as in the Junior's Famous No. 1 Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe. These recipes will result in a cheesecake whose texture is slightly more firm and dense. These flour-containing cheesecakes can be baked directly on the oven rack at moderate temperatures, but sometimes you will see them baked in a waterbath, which is a gentler heat. Cheesecake recipes that do not contain flour are intended to be delightfully smooth and silky, such as the NY Style Cheesecake. To achieve the proper texture, these cheesecakes must be baked in a waterbath at a lower temperature.

A cheesecake may or may not have a crust and they vary. Crusts can be a light dusting of cookie crumbs or the classic Graham Cracker Crust, made from just graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Some crust recipes use a combination of chopped nuts and cookies are used, such as in the White Chocolate, Macadamia Nut Cheesecake Recipe. A Pound cake crust is used to make the Tiramisu Cheesecake Recipe. Even a Sponge cake bottom can be found in Junior's Famous No. 1 Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe. Or, no crust at all, such as in the Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Roulade.

How to Make a Cheesecake That Won't Crack (Hopefully) & Other Problems with Solutions
After the crust is made and pressed into the bottom of a Springform pan, it is sometimes prebaked. The batter is poured on top of the crust and baked (again). When done, a perfectly baked cheesecake will be puffed around the edges, yet the center should be slightly moist and will jiggle. Look around the edge you'll see tiny cracks that look dry. When it cools, those tiny cracks will seal together. Cheesecakes become firmer as they cool and before serving, they must be refrigerated for 8 hours or more, preferably overnight.

Right after baking or after being chilled, cheesecakes can be topped by varied choices as sour cream, raspberry, strawberry, praline and streusel, such as in the Classic Cheesecake Recipe. Toppings also include whipped cream, fruit or even chocolate ganache. A cheesecake's edge may be trimmed with crust or cookie crumbs pressed into it. On top of that, some even frost theirs, such as in the White Chocolate - Frosted Hazelnut Cheesecake with a Raspberry Garnish (phew!) Recipe.

General Information & Tips:
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Many home-cooks are often a little nervous about diving into baking a cheesecake. We’ve all heard how temperamental they can be and how they must be perfect, without cracking, falling, being lopsided, dry, uneven browning, no browning or looking inedible. The best part about a cheesecake is that you can hide any imperfections under a disguise of a topping or serve it by cutting around its cracks as long as it tastes good. To be on the safe side, choose a cheesecake recipe that has a topping, such as the Classic Cheesecake Recipe.

My first cheesecake attempts looked so horrible, but tasted great. So, I cut it into chunks and served them in a parfait dish, with a spoonful of blueberry compote and whipped cream. No one knew and thought that I had invented a new cheesecake dessert! (This is also a good way to serve it when you drop the cheesecake on the floor, which I have done before!) Or, maybe you'd like to follow my lead and serve your cheesecake anyway, cracks and all!

Regardless of the type of cheesecake you prefer, here are a few secrets to preparing and baking it like a pro. Once you get the hang of it, I know that you will end up with a moist and good-looking cheesecake, that's also quite delicious! Remember, it's essential to bake your cheesecake at least one day before you plan to serve it so it can chill and firm up in the refrigerator for at least 8 to 12 hours, preferably overnight.

Ingredients If you can, use full-fat ingredients, such as cream cheese, because it will produce a creamy texture. ~ I use Philadelphia brand cream cheese which gives the most traditional flavor and best results. It is the best and works EVERY time, so I can't recommend any other kind ~ Don't use the fat free kind because the cheesecake will be chalky and slightly rubbery inside. Instead, the reduced-fat type, often dubbed "Neufchatel", is the one I use and will yield a better cheesecake if you are watching you weight. (Check out my Reduced-fat Cheesecake Recipe) ~ If you wish, you can use "natural" cream cheese without any gums or stabilizers; the flavor is superior, but the texture of the cheesecake will be drier, and creaminess is the goal here. ~ Use heavy cream, pasteurized rather than ultra pasteurized, and full-fat sour cream. If watching your weight, light (reduced-fat) sour cream works the best. ~ Use the egg size specified. If none is specified, use large (not jumbo or extra-large) ~ Don't lower the amount of sugar. Sugar in a "custard mixture", such as a cheesecake, breaks up the clumps of protein molecules so that they are finely dispersed in the liquid mixture. The temperature at which the custard sets is thus raised, permitting the egg proteins to coagulate slowly and enmesh the other ingredients, resulting in a smooth, stable consistency.~ For a fluffier cheesecake, separate the eggs and mix yolks into the cream cheese mixture, beat whites till soft peaks and lastly blend into the mixture.
Pans A cheesecake is typically baked in a 9 or 10 inch springform pan, a round pan with high, straight sides, about 2-1/2 to 3 inches high. The separate bottom of the pan can be removed from the sides when the clamp is released. This allows the cheesecake to be extricated easily by simply removing the pan's sides.
Usually cheesecake mixtures should fill the pan almost full or at least more than half way. However, you can bake cheesecakes in smaller pans or make mini ones baked in muffin tins, lined with muffin cups.

I like to use a solid one-piece cake pan when baking a cheesecake in a waterbath. It doesn't leak as a springform pan usually does, even if you wrap in foil.

Any pan you use, brush the sides and the bottom of the pan or muffin cups with melted butter so when the cheesecake cools the cake can release from it without splitting. Make sure you get the corners and the walls all the way to the top. I even place a piece of parchment or waxed paper in the bottom for easy removal. Grease after placing on top if you do.

Crust Making Crusts are strictly optional, but add so much to any cheesecake recipe.
(cookie or graham cracker crusts or even a sponge cake layer base) If you don't use any crust, remember the cheesecake will bake in less time since crusts act as insulators.
The pressed or crumb crusts under which cheesecakes are built on are actually no-brainers, as in the Graham Cracker Crust Recipe. All you need is some crushed cookies or graham crackers (I'd say about 33 of them to be exact), sometimes sugar and melted butter and stir thoroughly just to get everything moistened. The secret for prepping this crust is that you don't want to chop these up too fine. You want to crush them by hand. Sure you could do it in a food processor but it would be way too even. You want to end up with lots of pieces the size of small pebbles integrated with a lot of little bitty crumbs. In order for this loose amalgam of crumbs is going to come together to form a cohesive crust, you need to add a little bit of pressure; when making the crust, sprinkle the crumbs on the bottom of the pan so that none of it shows. Then, pack it down firmly with the bottom of a glass or a metal measuring cup. Have the crust go up the sides about a 1/4-inch. This is especially important when baking a cheesecake in a springform pan; it helps block the batter from leaking out the bottom edge of the pan. If not prebaking your crust, place in fridge for 1/2 hour before using. If prebaking, called blind baking, let cool before adding the cheesecake mixture, unless otherwise directed.

Use ingredients at room temperature and do not overbeat -- what you want to avoid in any cheesecake making step is to beat air into the mixture. Too much air will make the cheesecake fall. During baking these air bubbles expand, but since there is no flour to support them they burst upon cooling and the center collapses as all soufflés do eventually. HOW TO GET ROOM TEMPERATURE CREAMCHEESE: It takes regular cream cheese about three to four hours to come to room temperature (68 - 70 degrees), reduced-fat about an hour and a half. However, creamcheese is perishable, so I wouldn't leave it out of refrigeration for that long. To bring cream cheese to room temperature, quickly, place completely unwrapped package(s) in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 to 45 seconds or until slightly softened -- Do NOT let it melt or get warm. Refrigerate if it does.

For the filling, in the bowl of a heavy-duty standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature creamcheese and sugar on LOW SPEED . Scrape the sides of the bowl frequently with a rubber spatula so all amounts reach the beaters. If the batter is lumpy, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes and squish the lumps with the back of a wooden spoon on the side of the bowl. Mix briefly to incorporate. If the batter still has lumps, do not mix any more and strain through a large strainer and stir to incorporate. STOP mixing just when the mixture is smooth and lump-free.

The eggs are added next, one at a time, scraping the bowl often to be sure the cheese is smooth. Mix in the flour, then the sour cream. Keep the machine on low. DO NOT OVERBEAT.

Light-in-texture cheesecakes are made with whipped egg whites (stiff peaks) folded into the batter.
Pour in your batter into the crust making sure to scrape out every last bit. But, before you go to the oven, I run a knife through mine in an "S" shape to help get rid of any extra air bubbles. And, if any float up to the top but don't break on their own, give them a little bit of help.

Fruit Topping Fruit is better reserved for use as a topping as its moistness will ruin a cheesecake's creamy interior. A plain cheesecake topped with a cooled fruit compote or fresh berries glazed with melted preserves will give you a spectacular presentation and is so delicious. Click for a Classic Cheesecake Recipe with lots of topping options.
Baking, Cooling & Serving
Overbaking Problems, Such as "How to Prevent a Cheesecake from Cracking"
No more soggy cheesecakes from leaking springform pans, when baked in a waterbath. Colleen, a valued member of baking911.com figured out a way! Read about her new, hot tip!


WARNING: Bacteria can grow on anything - they need only protein and carbohydrate, plus moisture and warmth to grow quickly. Cheesecakes contain milk and eggs products, both protein products, and high in moisture, require refrigeration and special handling because they are perishable.
Many cheesecake recipes suggest baking cheesecakes at low oven temperatures. My food safety research shows that cheesecakes shouldn't be baked below 325 degrees F. In my Baking 9-1-1 Book (page 77), I write: " May recipes call for (baking cheesecakes) at 325 degrees F; 300 degrees F is too low, creating microbiological concerns".

Some recipes also recommend turning off the oven when the cheesecake is done baking and leaving it there to cool down for sometimes two hours. It's simply not a good idea! Pathogenic bacteria can grow in temperatures 40 - 140 degrees F, but grow best in temperatures in the 70 to 110 degrees F zone. baking911.com does not post recipes that use this practice.

Food safety dictates that perishable food shouldn't be left unrefrigerated for more than two hours maximum in a room temperature room or 1 hour in a 90 degrees F room! (this includes total cooling and serving time). So, the combination of leaving a cheesecake in an oven to cool down, plus additional cool down time on the countertop, is not safe.....There's more information on
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/4H3023.pdf

There are several schools of thought concerning the best way to bake a cheesecake so it won't crack, leak water and be custardy. Preferably, bake your cheesecake in a waterbath, especially if it doesn't contain starch such as, cornstarch or flour.

However, cheesecakes with cornstarch or flour do not need to be baked in a waterbath as they do not crack easily during baking. The starch molecules will actually get in between the egg proteins preventing them from over-coagulating. In theory, no over-coagulating, no cracks, but it doesn't work well with large cheesecakes. Some bakers add extra insurance to a cheesecake recipe without starch, by simply adding 2 tablespoons of flour (works better than cornstarch) per two pounds of creamcheese to the batter when you add the sugar.

If you don't use a waterbath, place the cheesecake's springform pan on an aluminum-foil lined baking sheet. This helps to avoid leaks in the oven.

Always preheat your oven. I bake all of my cheesecakes regardless of size or recipe in at 325 degrees F. Use an oven thermometer, too to make sure it's accurate as ovens are notoriously off. Cheesecakes are baked in the middle of the middle shelf in the oven whether in a waterbath or not. Don't be tempted to open the oven door during the first 30 to 40 minutes of baking, drafts can cause the cheesecake to fall because of the rush of cold air into the warm oven from the outside.

A cheesecake is done when it appears both set and at the same time jiggle in the middle as a custard would. There should not be wet spots or liquid areas in the center. Remember that a cheesecake continues to cook when it is removed from the oven. You cannot use a toothpick or cake tester to check a custard type of recipe!!!

When baking your cheesecake, use a conventional oven rather than a convection oven. The forced hot air from the convection causes too much browning and often a collapsed center.
Make sure your cheesecake gets a gentle cool down otherwise it can crack: cool in pan on a wire cake rack away from drafts but near the oven as it cools to provide a warm place. Alice Medrich likes to remove her cheesecakes from the oven, then inverts a bowl over it to cool. Other bakers like to turn off the oven and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon to reduce the heat slowly.

About 10 minutes upon removal from the oven, loosen the cake from the edge of the pan by running the tip of a knife or narrow spatula dipped in warm water and then dried. Use an up and down sawing motion positioning the knife in between the edge of the cake and the side of the pan. This allows the cake to pull away freely from the pan as it cools so it doesn't crack.

Q: How do you get a browned top on a cheesecake, like in those Italian bakeries?
A: Bake the cheesecake in a very, very hot oven (500 degrees F) for the first ten minutes of baking, then reduce the heat to 300 degrees F. That intense heat will brown the top, then lowering the heat will give it a nice, slow bake that will give you an amazing creamy texture. Cheesecake has lots of proteins in it (eggs and cheese), which like a slow, leisurely baking rather than high heat and fast baking, which makes cheesecake tough.
Cool completely before refrigerating. Chilling a warm cheesecake will trap condensation in the cake and make it soggy. Refrigerate preferably overnight and the cheesecake will solidify to a perfect consistency; it takes that long. I can't tell you how many times I unmolded a cheesecake after 4 - 6 hours (because my family get wait to get a piece) of refrigerating and it sort of collapsed. I finally learned to keep it in the refrigerator for a good 12 hours or more -- I found that 24 hours is best!!

After a cheesecake has chilled, gently loosen the entire side of the cheesecake from the pan with the tip of a knife. Then, slowly release the springform pan's collar by opening its clamp. Carefully remove the side of the pan. More tips for unmolding

A cold cheesecake is easier to cut than a warm one and will be more set. To cut a cheesecake, make sure the knife is clean and hot, and I would suggest using a thinner slicing knife, not a cake knife. You can dip a sharp knife into hot water, and repeat that process every time you make a slice. That's the best way to do it. It will get gummed up if you don't repeat the process.

For optimum flavor, serve cheesecake at room temperature. This takes about 1 hour after removing from the refrigerator. Make sure the room is not too warm, otherwise the cheesecake will soften too much.

Toppings Although cheesecakes are certainly delicious by themselves, a favorite topping even makes them more appealing. I also use a topping to hide and cracks in the cheesecake. They can be put on right after baking or when the cheesecake has chilled. Cheesecake Topping Recipes
Gift Giving Gold or silver doilies look gorgeous under cheesecakes. If you're giving them as gifts, tie a colorful ribbon around them while they're frozen. And leaves made of ribbon fabric make a classy nonedible garnish, as well. If desired, place frozen cheesecake in an airtight, decorative tin. Or enclose it in colorful cellophane and tie with ribbon.
Storage Store the cheesecake in the refrigerator up to 7 days, tightly covered. Baked plain (minus topping) cheesecakes freeze well for up to 2 - 3 months, if using full-fat cream cheese or 1 month for the reduced-fat kind. If I'm going to freeze the cheesecake, I do not put the topping on it; I put a topping on when it has thawed. If a topping is a sour cream one, simply follow the recipe's instructions; do not place the cheesecake back into a waterbath while baking the sour cream topping. Before freezing, cool completely and wrap tightly in heavy-duty foil or plastic wrap. To thaw, place frozen cheesecake in its wrappers overnight in the refrigerator.

Baking Methods:
MORE TIPS

During baking, a cheesecake WITHOUT starch, such as cornstarch or flour is more susceptible to overbaking and cracking than one with starch. To help prevent this, bake your cheesecakes low and slow in a waterbath. (However, for extra insurance, I use one for all my cheesecake recipes.)
Many times, because a springform pan is not made in one solid piece, it will get water in it from the waterbath. To prevent this, bake it in a regular pan. (You can also envelope it in foil, but it doesn't work well consistently .)

Here are all of the popular ways. When baking cheesecakes or other items, make sure the oven rack is in the center section of the oven. Unless specified differently in the recipe. To high or low of rack placement will cause baking problems.

Waterbath Method: Similar to other custard desserts, such as Crème Brulee or Flan, a waterbath, also known as a bain-marie (French), insulates a cheesecake from the direct dry heat of the oven. This is the method I use and recommend for best cheesecake baking for recipes with starch, such as cornstarch or flour; the water in the bain-mairie takes longer to heat and longer to cool than the outside air, thus maintaining a stable temperature, ensuring that the cheesecake (which is really a type of custard) bakes evenly. I found that cheesecakes not baked in a waterbath to be slightly drier in their texture.

Question from Virginia (1-23-02): I add sour cream to the top (of the cheesecake) and bake for 5 minutes at the end. Would I keep the springform in the waterbath while doing so? Answer: Remove the cheesecake from the waterbath before you top and bake again.
Some bakers place their springform pans in larger rimmed sheet pans, place the sheet pans on the oven shelves, then add water to a depth of about 3/8 - 1/2-inches. Ideally, use just enough water to ensure that it has boiled off within the length of time needed for your cheesecakes to bake.

Steam Method: a pan is placed on the oven floor or bottom rack while the oven preheats. Water is then poured into the pan (about an inch or so) or ice cubes tossed in while the cheesecake is baking. This results in steam that acts as the waterbath would. From my experience this method is not the most dependable, but some bakers swear by it.

Straight Oven Baking Method: no water bath or steam is used. Best used with cheesecakes that have cornstarch or flour that prevent the eggs from overcoagulating. Temperature usually ranges from 300 to 350 degrees F, though I like to bake mine at 325 degrees F, regardless of the recipe. The results of the recipe depends solely upon the technique and ingredients used in the recipe. If eggs are overbeaten, batter overmixed or the cheesecake is overbaked, cracks will certainly result and it will rise and fall in the oven. I personally find this method unreliable for beginners. Some recipes come out without cracks while other may have minor to major cracks.