How to Make a Baked CheesecakeThree Parts:Making the Crust Making the Filling Baking the Cheesecake

Cheesecake has long been considered one of the most decadent desserts by food lovers

everywhere. While the prep and cooking time is generally three hours, this creamy, dreamy dessert

is truly worth it. Scroll down to Step 1 to start making delicious baked cheesecake.

IngredientsCrust

2 cups (475 ml) of Graham cracker crumbs (from a little less than 2 packages Graham crackers

2 Tbsp sugar

Pinch salt

5 Tbsp (70 g) unsalted butter (if using salted butter, omit the pinch of salt), melted

Filling

2 pounds cream cheese (900 g), room temperature

1 1/3 cup granulated sugar (270 g)

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 large eggs

2/3 cup sour cream (160 ml)

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (160 ml)

Part 1 of 3: Making the Crust

1.

1Choose your pan wisely. Cheesecakes are notoriously crumbly, so choosing the right pan will

ensure that your cheesecake comes out smoothly when you take it out of the pan. For the best

outcome, use a springform pan. This sort of pan is comprised of round cake pan with a removable

bottom. It is all held together by a sprung collar.[1]

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2.

2Cover the pan with aluminum foil. For the best cheesecake you’ve ever eaten, you’ll need to bake

it surrounded by boiling water (this will be discussed in Part Three). To avoid any water leaking into

your pan and ruining your crust, you will need to wrap the pan with hole-free aluminum foil. Place a

piece of foil under the pan and then wrap it upwards and fold it so that the foil rests along the edge of

the pan but doesn’t fold over the lip.[2]

If needed, use a second piece of foil to cover any spots that the first piece missed.

3Place a rack in the lower third of the oven. Once you have done this, preheat the oven to 350 °F

(177 °C)(176c). While the oven is preheating, place the graham crackers into a blender or food

processor. Make sure that the lid is tightly secured and pulse the crackers until they reach a finely

ground texture.

4Pour the graham cracker dust into a large bowl. Use a spatula to stir in the salt and sugar,

making sure that all of the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Melt the butter in the microwave or on

the stove and then add it to the mixture. Wash your hands and use them to mix the ingredients

together using a folding movement until all the ingredients are well mixed.[3]

If you chose to use salted butter, you should not have to add the pinch of salt called for in this step.

5Pour the crust mixture into the pan. Save about ¼ cup of the mixture to use later if need be (you

can use it if you discover any holes in your crust once you remove it from the pan). Press the crust

down with your hands, making sure that there are no holes. The result should be an even layer of

crust that ever so slightly curves up along the edges of the pan.

While pressing the crust into the pan, make sure that you do not accidentally tear any of the foil. If

you do notice a tear, replace it with a different piece of tin foil.

6Place the pan in the oven. The crust will need to harden up a bit--putting it in the oven for 10

minutes should achieve the desired texture. Once the 10 minutes have passed, remove the pan from

the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 325°F (163C). Let the crust cool for several

minutes.

Part 2 of 3: Making the Filling

1.

1Cut your cream cheese into large chunks. One by one, cut away a chunk of the cream cheese

and place it into the bowl of your electric mixture. Use the paddle attachment of your electric mixture

to get the creamiest texture. Mix the cream cheese for four minutes on a medium speed--the result

should be a smooth texture.

If you don’t have an electric mixture, place the cream cheese in a large bowl and use a handheld

electric mixer to stir it up.

2

Add the sugar to the cream cheese. Pour your sugar into the bowl and mix the two ingredients

together for four minutes. Your mixture should be set to a medium speed. Repeat this process with

the vanilla and salt. Add one ingredient and then mix for four minutes. Then add the other ingredient

and mix for four minutes.[4]

3Crack the eggs into the bowl on at a time. When you add one egg, turn the mixer on and beat it

for one minute. Repeat this process with the three remaining eggs. Use a spatula to scrape along

the insides and bottom of the mixing bowl. This is important to do because large chunks of cream

cheese can get stuck in these areas. Next, add the sour cream and mix thoroughly. Follow this up

with the heavy cream, which you should also mix until the ingredients are all blended together.

4Pour the filling into the pan on top of the crust. Make sure that you scoop out all of the filling

while also making sure that it doesn’t overflow the pan. Once it is in the pan, use a spatula to make

the top smooth.[5]

Part 3 of 3: Baking the Cheesecake

1.

1Place the springboard pan into a high-sided roasting pan. Bring two quarts of water to a boil.

Once the water is boiling, carefully pour it into the roasting pan so that the water reaches about

halfway up the side of the springboard pan. While this might sound like an odd instruction, you are

actually giving the cake a water bath that will help the filling to cook without cracking the crust.[6]

2.

2Place the pan inside a pan on the lower rack of the oven. Set your timer for one and a half hours

and let your delicious cheesecake bake. After the baking time has passed, oven the oven and gently

shake the cheesecake back and forth to ensure doneness. The cake should wiggle slightly in the

center and should be firm around the edge. The center will firm up as the cake cools.

3.

3Turn off the heat. Open the door of the oven so that it is about an inch open. Let the cheesecake

cool in the oven as the oven cools, which should take about one hour. This sort of slow, gentle

cooling will make sure that the crust doesn’t crack in the face of the cold air outside the oven.

4.

4Cover the top of your cheesecake with foil and place it in the fridge. You will want to leave it in

the fridge for a minimum of four hours. The cold temperature will help the cheesecake to firm up.

Some dessert chefs believe the cheesecake should be cooled uncovered for two to three hours.

Chilling the cheesecake this way also helps to disperse the moisture that would otherwise form on

the top of the cheesecake.[7]

5

Remove your cheesecake from the pan. Once it has chilled thoroughly, you can slide a spatula

along the inside of the pan to separate the crust and cake from the pan. You must wait to do this

until after the cheesecake has cooled or else you run the high risk of separating the cheesecake

from its crust. Open the springform latch and gently remove the sides, leaving the cheesecake in all

its glory.[8]

6

Serve and enjoy!

Ingredients for Cake 3/4 cup puree of fresh guava (seed strained out)

1/4 cup milk, at room temperature

4 whole large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp coconut extract

2 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted

1 3/4 cup sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

12 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened (not melted)

red food coloring (optional)

Instructions1. Puree guava and remove seeds by using a strainer.  (Not an easy process!)

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 8- or 9-inch pans: spray inside with

baking spray with flour (or use some sort of grease/flour combination).  I prefer to

spray and then line with cut out parchment paper on the bottom and sides.

3. In small bowl, combine puree, milk, egg, both extracts and mix with fork or whisk

until well blended. In bowl of stand mixer, add sifted flour, sugar, baking powder

and salt and mix to combine. Continue beating at slow speed and add butter. Mix

until combined and resembling moist crumbs.

4. Add liquids and beat at medium speed for about 1 minute or until full and evenly

combined. Stop mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl and hand beat for 30

more seconds. I added 3 drops of red food coloring to make the batter slightly pink,

this is totally optional.  Divide the batter evenly among the pans and smooth tops.

5. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out

clean (time will vary). Let cakes rest in pan for about 10 minutes and turn out onto

wire racks. Let cakes cool completely (about 2 hours).

Ingredients for Frosting 1 cup puree of fresh guava (seed strained out)

1/2 cup sugar (to taste)

1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (make sure it’s cold!)

red food coloring (optional)

Instructions1. Puree guava and remove seeds by using a strainer.

2. In a small saucepan, heat guava puree with sugar.  Stir and heat until sugar is

completely melted and mixture starts to bubble.

3. Cool sweetened guava puree completely.

4. Whisk cold heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks start to form.  Add the cooled

guava puree and fold in.

5. Decorate cake to your liking & enjoy!