Well...it's been a long time comin...but I finally succeeded in making my first "crack-less" cheesecake. For those of you that have made cheesecakes...ya'll know that it's nearly impossible to get it NOT to crack after it comes out of the oven... I now know the reason why you see toppings on cheesecakes. More than likely, it's to hide the grand-canyon-crack somewhere in the top of the cake. Well...not this Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake...it's crack-less and she's a beauty.
So, you have to be asking yourself..."how in the world did she do it???" Good question and one that I have asked dozens of women but could never get a straight answer. Thank God for Google. I decided, by golly, I was gonna figure out how it was done before I started my cake yesterday. My first search led me to a how-to video on making the perfect cheesecake. It was there that I learned a couple of secrets to "crack-less" cheesecakes.
- Make sure to grease the sides of your spring form pan. Apparently, when the cake adheres to the sides of the pans as it cools it will pull the cake from all sides causing a crack. Duh! Of course! Why wouldn't I think of that?
- Let the cheesecake cool in the oven. The slower the cooling process...the less likely it will crack. Make sure to turn off the oven when it's done and then leave the door cracked open. Once it's fully cooled...put it in the fridge to chill.
- Bake your cake in a water bath. You do that by taking heavy aluminum foil, and wrapping it around sides and bottom of your spring form pan or cheesecake pan with removable bottom. This prevents leakage while baking your cheesecake. Place your spring form pan or cheesecake pan (filled with cheesecake batter and crust) into a larger deep baking pan that it will fit into easily. The larger pan should be at least 2-3 inches in depth. Place in pre-heated oven. With a kettle filled with very hot water, pour water into the larger pan about halfway up, or approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Bake cheesecake as directed. I've been told that it's the steam that keeps it from cracking.
Now...I didn't use the water bath method... Too much trouble for me. So, I rolled the dice with the other two options and Voila!, it worked! The thing that made the most sense to me was the greasing of the sides of the pan. In my sometimes pea-sized brain I figured that with a spring form pan you didn't have to grease the sides since you could snap it away from the cake. Like I said...Thank God for Google and those who have the kindness to post their videos for wanna-be-crackless-cheesecake-makers like me.
I do realize that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and that my sense of beauty most certainly comes from my years of lack of success in making a crack-less cheesecake. However...if you want to see some truly beautiful cakes...take a look at the ones my sister makes for friends and clients in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Now these are beautiful! I will blog on these cakes soon. Until then...have a blessed day and may all your cheesecakes be crack-less! (Okay...and maybe your plumber too...)
Baking crack-less cheesecakes is just a small part of living with a "rural attitude". My passion is helping folks achieve the dream of a simpler life...one where there's room to breathe. If you are looking for your place in the country or a small town, call me, I can help you find it.
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