How to Make the Creamiest Cheesecake

Whether you believe it's a cake or a tart, it's safe to say that cheesecake is one of our favorite desserts here at Tasty. We tested a bunch of different recipes and techniques to find a foolproof ultra creamy vanilla cheesecake. So here's how to make a classic crack-free cheesecake. Every good cheesecake starts with a springform pan. Greasing the pan with non-stick spray or butter is going to help easy removal and help prevent cracking down the Adding a band of parchment paper will ensure you've got those smooth picture perfect sides when you go to remove the springform. The foundation of cheesecake is the crust. It only requires three ingredients to make a classic graham cracker crust. This is the simplest part of the recipe. The combination of sugar and butter helps hold everything together for a really fantastic crust. Some people like using other types of cookies. You can easily swap it in right here. We're gonna do a bottom crust only. Some people like the crust on the sides. It's totally a matter of preference. Just use a flat surface to spread the graham cracker mixture into an even layer. Now you're gonna bake it for eight to ten minutes until it's golden brown and just let it cool as you prepare the filling. Now it looks like a lot of dairy but remember it's a rich velvety dessert. You really need it here. We're adding full fat cream cheese here. This is not time to skimp with reduced fat. I know it looks like a lot of sugar. It is. We tried to reduce it but you really miss out on some of that classic cheesecake flavor. Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before getting started. This way they'll be easier to mix and give you a smooth cheesecake without any lumps. We're adding a bit of heavy cream. It's a subtle difference but it's gonna help smooth out the batter. It's a personal preference and you can omit it but we wouldn't. I'm adding in sour cream for a bit of added tang and I'm also going to add some flour which is going to help bind the cheesecake together and help prevent cracks. To flavor the cake I'm using a whole vanilla bean. A really easy way to remove the seeds is by splitting it down the middle lengthwise and use the blade of your knife to slowly scrape the seeds out. While you can use vanilla extract in a pinch the intense flavor of a bean is really hard to beat. Eggs are crucial in any baked cheesecake. They add in creaminess and also help bind the cheesecake together as it bakes. Some recipes will call for adding extra egg yolks. We found in testing that this makes a denser cheesecake so for our airy version we're sticking with whole eggs only. So add in the eggs one at a time. If you dump them in all at once you run the risk of having a really lumpy batter. Okay so this part is crucial. As soon as the eggs are incorporated stop mixing. Over mixing can result in a really dense cheesecake. You also want to be scraping your bowl down to ensure everything is thoroughly mixed. From here it's really easy. Just pour the batter onto the cooled crust and smooth out the top. If we didn't bake the crust it would mix in with the batter. Who wants that? Even cooking and cracking is a huge concern when making cheesecake. One of the best ways to prevent that is to use a water bath while baking. Even though the pan is sealed there could be a slight opening where water could get through and give you a soggy crust. To prevent any water from seeping in we're going to wrap our springform in two sheets of foil to really seal it. Place the pan in a large heavy baking dish and fill it with hot water about one inch up the sides of the pan. The hot water creates a moist environment in an otherwise dry oven so the cheesecake doesn't split from drying out. There are several methods where you can start your cheesecake in a hot oven and then lower the temperature. While you do get some lift you also run the risk of burning or cracking your cheesecake. For our recipe we're going to do a steady moderate heat all the way through. Then turn the heat off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour to finish baking. Allowing the cake to sit in the oven allows it for it to be fully set in the middle and get a little bit of color. You can see that the cake that was taken out after an hour isn't fully cooked and looks like a gloopy mess. Sometimes cracks happen. There are so many reasons that can cause a crack such as high temperature, over mixing, no water bath, but this doesn't mean that you can't end up with a beautiful delicious cheesecake in the end. A great way to cover up a cheesecake is to make a sour cream topping. This topping is really simple. It's just sour cream, sugar, and vanilla extract all mixed together. It not only covers up the crack but it's also really delicious and can be used on uncracked cheesecakes as well. For a sour cream topping you don't need a water bath. Just bake it for 10 to 15 minutes just so the top is set and continue the recipe as normal. After sitting in the oven for another hour the cheesecake needs to cool at room temperature. Another way to prevent cracks is to gently go around the rim of the cheesecake with a knife. At this point the center of the cheesecake should still have a slight jiggle just like this. Once the cheesecake is cooled place it in the fridge covered with plastic wrap to fully set. Ideally overnight but you can still get a really good result in about four hours. To remove the cheesecake from the pan unlatch the side of the springform and carefully lift off the frame. Gently peel back the parchment and you're going to see those beautiful smooth sides. There's such a wide variety of toppings you can add to your cheesecake but for ours we're going to keep it simple with a ton of fresh berries. To get the perfect slice fill a large vessel with hot water. Dip your knife into the water then gently pat it dry before slicing. The hot knife will ensure that you get a smooth cut every time. We love serving our cheesecake with a berry coulis which is basically a fancy word for a berry puree that has been cooked down until it's thick. It's the perfect complement alongside all those gorgeous fresh berries. There's a reason we make so many cheesecakes here at Tasty. They're relatively easy, they're great for a crowd and most importantly they're downright delicious. By using these tips and tricks you too can make the dreamiest creamiest cheesecake of your life.