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A water bath, as well known every bit a bain marie, is the baker'southward secret to creamy cheesecake perfection. It'southward as well a wonderful way to bake custard or bread pudding. All you demand for a water bathroom is a deep roasting pan and foil.

Water being poured into a pan to make a water bath for a cheesecake.

Because cheesecake batter is basically a rich custard, it needs to be treated delicately. Without the moist heat of a h2o bath, the custard can take on a rubbery texture.

With cheesecake, your primary goal is to bake information technology slowly and evenly without browning the elevation. When yous bake in a water bath, the water surrounding the pan volition never become hotter than 212 degrees, no affair how hot the oven is. Read on to discover how to make a h2o bath to broil your all-time cheesecake recipe yet.

Table of Contents
  1. Equipment notes
  2. Step-by-stride instructions
  3. Recipe tips and variations
  4. Water Bath for Cheesecake Recipe

Equipment notes

  • Roasting pan: Test its size by attempting to ready your springform pan inside. Information technology should be big plenty to hold the complete round.
  • Springform pan: Almost cheesecake recipes call for a 9- to ten-inch springform pan.
  • Foil: This is primal to waterproof your cheesecake.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Preheat oven to the temperature required for your recipe. Wrap springform pan (or other pan) in 2 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
A water bath for a cheesecake with foil wrapped around it.
  1. Accommodate a dish towel in the bottom of a heavy roasting pan.
A roasting pan lined with a kitchen towel.
  1. Add crust to the lesser of springform pan and broil according to your recipe instructions.
Pressing graham cracker crumbs into a springform pan.
  1. Remove from oven and fix in prepared roasting pan (on dish towel). Bring a kettle or saucepan of water to boil. Add cheesecake filling to the baked crust. Transfer the roasting pan (with unbaked cheesecake on dish towel) to an oven rack. Cascade boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches well-nigh halfway up the sides of the pan.
Water being poured into a pan to make a water bath for a cheesecake.
  1. Bake cheesecake co-ordinate to recipe instructions. Remove from oven, so allow cheesecake cool in the roasting pan for 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool until barely warm, about 2 ½ to 3 hours longer. Run a knife around the inside edge of the springform pan about in one case per hour to loosen the cake.
A baked pumpkin cheesecake cooling in a springform pan.
  1. Wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until common cold, virtually 3 hours. To unmold the cheesecake, wrap a kitchen towel moisture with hot water around the cake pan for i infinitesimal. Remove the sides of the pan and carefully slide the cake onto a block platter.
Slices of pumpkin cheesecake on a cooling rack.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Make it leak-proof: Every springform pan is different, and many of them leak to some degree. To prevent h2o from leaking in, make certain y'all accept a tight-fitting springform pan. Double (or triple) wrap your cheesecake pan with heavy duty foil. No foil? Use a heat-prophylactic, plastic slow cooker liner to safeguard against h2o leaks. Carefully place the cheesecake within the liner, then twist the actress plastic and knot it up tightly just nether the acme rim of the springform pan.
  • Avoid overcooking: Information technology can be tough to tell when the time is right to take a cheesecake out of the oven. Expect for firm edges and a jiggly, swaying center. The cake finishes setting up as information technology cools. Speaking of cooling, keep the cheesecake away from drafts, and requite it time to cool slowly. Once it'due south completely cool, and then y'all tin chill it in the refrigerator.
  • Slice information technology cleanly: A warm clean knife cuts through a chilled cheesecake better than anything. Dip a long, sparse knife in hot h2o for a few moments, (running hot tap water is fine) then wipe the blade dry out with a towel. Make your first slice. Then repeat the dip-dry out-slice method with each slice.
  • Become creative with your cake: Effort this method with my recipes for Pumpkin Cheesecake or your own personal favorite cheesecake recipe. For equally-decadent options that don't crave a water bath, consider my Cheesecake Bars or Cheesecake Brownies.
Cheesecake squares topped with strawberry topping on a cooling rack.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

My best Pumpkin Cheesecake features a graham cracker chaff topped with a rich, creamy, and warmly-spiced cheesecake filling. Principal how to make cheesecake from scratch for Thanksgiving (or any solar day).

View Recipe

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H2o Bath for Cheesecake

A water bath, also known equally a bain marie, is the baker's secret to creamy cheesecake perfection. Information technology's also a wonderful way to bake custard or bread pudding. All y'all need for a water bath is a deep roasting pan and foil.

Melt Time ane hour 50 mins

Cooling Time seven hrs 45 mins

Total Time 9 hrs 35 mins

Servings 8 slices

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Calories 1

  • i roasting pan, large enough to contain cheesecake pan such as a turkey roaster
  • 1 springform pan
  • heavy-duty aluminum foil

  • Preheat oven to the temperature required for your recipe. Wrap springform pan (or other pan) in two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Arrange a dish towel in the bottom of a heavy roasting pan.

  • Add crust to the lesser of springform pan and bake co-ordinate to your recipe instructions. Remove from oven and set up in prepared roasting pan (on dish towel). Bring a kettle or saucepan of water to boil.

  • Add cheesecake filling to the baked crust. Transfer the roasting pan (with unbaked cheesecake on dish towel) to an oven rack.

  • Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches near halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake cheesecake according to recipe instructions.

  • Follow recipe instructions, or let cheesecake cool in the roasting pan for 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and absurd until barely warm, about 2 ½ to 3 hours longer. Run a knife effectually the inside border of the springform pan about one time per hour to loosen the cake.

  • Wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours. To unmold the cheesecake, wrap a kitchen towel wet with hot water effectually the cake pan for 1 minute. Remove the sides of the pan and carefully slide the cake onto a cake platter.

Serving: i slice Calories: one kcal

I'm the Executive Chef and head of the Culinary Hill Test Kitchen. Every recipe is developed, tested, and approved merely for y'all.

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