How do I make a cheesecake that doesn't crack down the middle when baked?

Question

I have a really good recipe, but for some reason, I can't get that crack to go away!

Answer 1

Set a pan of water in the oven, below the cheesecake on a separate rack. (DO NOT set the cheesecake pan directly in the pan of water!! It might leak through.)

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS...add a can of cherry pie topping to the top of the cheesecake. The crack will disappear and VIOLA!! Cherry Cheesecake!!

Answer 2

To tell you the truth, I think the cracks that almost invariably occur in the top of a baked cheesecake are a mark of quality... part of the whole "cheesecake aesthetic".
I have a delicious cheesecake recipe (that you could not extract from me with pliers and a blowtorch), which always cracks, no matter what I do... it happens because the water in the mix evaporates during cooking, causing the filling to shrink (and also develop that sinfully opulent baked cheesecake texture).
Cooking the cheesecake in a bain marie may prevent cracking, because it means that the temperature of the filling cannot rise above the boiling point of water during baking (and so less water evaporates from the mix) - but I think the texture of the cheesecake would also be affected. Personally, I'm not willing to compromise. Eat your beautifully cracked cheesecake and enjoy!

BTW if you _really_ can't bear the cracks, the idea of cherry-pie filling is a good one... fresh blueberries dusted with powdered sugar is another, and so are chocolate curls.

Answer 3

Ok--I've been doing this a long time. And no cracks and no bain marie. Commercial bakers don't have time or the room
for bain maries.

I am supposing that you use eggs with your cream cheese as well as sugar. Which makes it a custard of a sort.

Fill your springform pan with the mixture and put it on a rack in the middle of your oven.

Bake it low and slow--225 degrees for one hour and 20 minutes. Turn oven off. Do not open the oven door at the end of that time--wait for at least one hour, then--use a wooden spoon and crack the oven door open just the width of the handle--and check the cake again in another hour.

If the heat is to high, the cake expands and when it settles back into place, expansion and contraction causes cracks.

You just want it to cook long enough that the custard sets.

Answer 4

Bake it at a lower temperature with a water bath, the cheesecake should be placed in the water bath. The water should only come up the sides of the pan about halfway. If you are using a spring form pan just wrap it in foil, this will take care of any leaks!
Also, I find if I leave the oven door slightly ajar for the last 20-30 minutes of cooking this minimizes the risk of cracks. When the cake is done just let it cool in the oven for a couple hours. By this time the cake will have set and the water bath will have cooled and reduce the risk of scary burns!

Answer 5

If you add a bit of sour cream to you cheese filling like 2 tbsp before baking, some recipes call for spreading the top surface of the filling with a little sour cream, it might help. That crack comes from the cheese drying as it bakes. It still tastes great and you can camouflage the crack by spooning your favorite pie filling over the slice or sliced fresh fruit always looks good.when you serve it..

Answer 6

First whilst mixing the climate make particular that each little thing is blended nicely, the cream cheese combination might desire to be tender. subsequent make particular your oven is preheated to the the appropriate option temperature. ultimately bake your cheesecake in a water tub, the moisture from the water tub will enable your cheesecake to educate out moist and not dry and cracked. wish this helps!

Answer 7

Someone has probably already answered this, but I would bake the cheesecake in a water bath. This will ensure the cheesecake cooks evenly and stays moist. And it won't crack!

Answer 8

I just read about this in 2 different places!!!

Martha Stewart says to do the water bath (the proper name is a bain marie)...you wrap your cheescake pan (if it's a springform) in aluminum foil, and set it in a roasting pan in the oven. Then, pour boiling water into it - this will balance out the humidity/temp (martha says it will "slow the cooking process and provide moisture around the cake as it bakes") of the oven and keep it from cracking.

Paula Deen says you shouldn't open the oven at all while it's baking - I guess the rush of cold air will make it crack.

Answer 9

Use a water bath. Before putting in crust, turn your pan upside down and cover with 2 layers of heavy duty foil. When ready to go in oven, place pan in a larger pan (I use roasting pan) add a couple of inches of water and bake. Also be careful not to over beat your batter as that incorporates too much air.

Answer 10

If the other suggestions don't work, you might try this easy and light no-bake recipe.

Use a graham cracker crust.
Beat together 1 block of cream cheese
One can sweetened condensed milk
teaspoon of vanilla
teaspoon of lemon juice.

Pour into graham cracker crust and refrigerate.

I serve with a fruit topping. My mom likes to use the cherry pie topping.