How to prevent cheese cake from cracking?

[marius97]

I make a killer cheese cake that DD has requested for her birthday this week. It is really good, but always comes out looking horrible. The top ends up cracking and forming canyons. Still tastes great, just not pretty. What am I doing wrong? Cooking too long? Over filling?

 

[greeneeyes]

I make a killer cheese cake that DD has requested for her birthday this week. It is really good, but always comes out looking horrible. The top ends up cracking and forming canyons. Still tastes great, just not pretty. What am I doing wrong? Cooking too long? Over filling?

The same thing happens to mine & I was told it was because it was cooked too long. Many times you will see the tv chefs place their pan inside a pan of water (wrap the bottom edge of the cake pan in foil to prevent seepage). You could always cover the top with fruit (strawberries are a favorite here) to camouflage the crack.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Put a bowl of water in the oven with the cheesecake (some put the cheesecake in a larger bowl of water).

Make sure you don't over mix -- if there's an air bubble, it can cause a crack as well. Get all the lumps out before you add the eggs.

And if all else fails, cover with topping!

 

[Peanut Giggleface]

The same thing happens to mine too. Always tastes great, but looks like the Grand Canyon!! LOL

I've tried wrapping my pan in foil and placing in a water bath. The water seeped into my pan and made my crust mushy. My pan was too wide and required two pieces of foil and I guess the water made its way in from the seam area. I tried securing the foil so it wouldn't leak but I guess that didn't work.

I've heard of using a separate pan of water in the oven, but have never tried it. I think the next cheesecake I make, I'll try it. Will also try reducing the cooking time by 5 minutes and see if it makes any difference.

If all else fails, use a can of whipping cream to cover up the cracks and then drizzle some chocolate or berry topping.

 

[DeborahA]

I have made hundreds of cheesecakes--a specialty of mine. A few tips---beat the cheese and the sugar together until that mixture is no longer gritty, then add the eggs one at a time while mixing at the lowest speed on mixer. scrape down sides of bowl and when the mixture is smooth, stop mixing. I wrap the bottom of the pan in a large sheet of foil, then put in into the ring, bringing the extra foil up the sides of the ring. Then I put another piece of foil down and set the whole pan in that piece. after preparing the cake for the oven , place it down inside another larger pan and pour hot water around and halfway up the sides. Bake until the cake is set about 2 inch in from the sides. There should be no color on the top. The middle will jiggle and you will think it isn't done. It will finish setting while cooling. remove pan from the water bath and allow to cool---then refrigerate at least 12 hours before removing from the springform pan.Cracking is caused by over mixing and baking too long. Also make sure the ring of your pan is well greased. When the cake comes out of the oven, I use my fingers to gently pull it away from the sides as it cools--this releases tension on the middle.

 

[Mickey527]

What everyone says is right but they forgot one step.

Wrap the spring form pan in foil, making sure it is totally covered so no water can leak in.
Put springform pan filled with cheesecake batter into larger pan that will cover at least 3/4 of the way up springform pan. Fill larger pan with boiling hot water.
Cook as directed, cheesecake will still be jiggly in center.
turn off oven but keep pans in oven.
COOL FOR AT LEAST 1 HOUR IN OVEN BEFORE PUTTING INTO FRIDGE.
If you put the hot cheesecake into the fridge it will crack.

 

[Iris82]

My husband's German and loves my cheesecake but I've never managed to not make it crack, I'll try this

 

[DVCDan36]

Use all of the tips to make the cheesecake, beating things until smooth, using tin foil, and a water bath, but the best trick is not to cool the cheesecake too fast, it has to cool slowly, when cheesecake is ready to come out, turn off the oven and open the door, just not all of the way, allow the cheesecake to cool for one hour this way. Then remove from oven to finish cooling completely.
This should prevent the cake from cracking.