The Best Technique for Classic Cheesecake | Tips for a Light and Creamy Recipe | Kitchen Conundrums

A dense yet not-heavy classic that can't be beat. For a silky-smooth batter, take care to bring the cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream to room temperature before blending. Using a water bath ensures the cake bakes evenly, so the center doesn’t crack.

INGREDIENTS:
-6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more, room temperature, for pan
-15 graham crackers (each 3 by 5 inches), broken into pieces
-1⁄3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
-1 teaspoon packed finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh juice
-1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal)
-2 ½ pounds cream cheese (five 8-ounce packages), room temperature
-1 1⁄3 cups granulated sugar
-5 large eggs, room temperature
-1 cup sour cream, room temperature
-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


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Sarah Carey is the editor of Everyday Food magazine and her job is to come up with the best ways to make fast, delicious food at home. But she's also a mom to two hungry kids, so the question "What's for dinner?" is never far from her mind -- or theirs, it seems! Her days can get crazy busy (whose don't?), so these videos are all about her favorite fast, fresh meals -- and the tricks she uses to make it all SO much easier.



#Cheesecake #Dessert #CookingHacks

[doreenandre]

I've made cheesecake numerous times before and it's never occurred to me to invert the base of the springform pan for easier removal. Thanks very much for the baking tip Thomas.

[nancys]

i know this is 2 years old but this guy is THE best at going over recipes. He is patient, steady but gives all info. Excellent job Joseph, you would be great with your own show.

[RexCapulet]

I chose this recipe for making my first ever cheesecake and it came out so well! Everyone including myself were so impressed with the height! The highlight of this recipe is the crust! Next time I think I’ll double the crust recipe so I have a larger crust ratio! I loved it so! Thank you!

[funandlala]

0:24 Crust
3:25 Spring form pan tips
5:38 Making the cheese cake filling
6:08 Use full fat cream cheese for decadence ♡
7:00 Cream your ingredients together on medium for about 2- 3 mins being sure not to incorporate too much air
7:18 Slowly add the sugar so it gradually dissolves for a creamy batter. Take your time and let it mix for 2 to 3 mins until it's combined
7:48 ¾ teaspoon of salt brights out all the wonderful flavors
8:03 It's time to add the eggs. Beware, eggs are full of moisture, especially the egg white so you could end up with a watery or "broken" batter if you add them all at once. Take your time and add them one by one so they're fully incorporated.
8:38 A tbsp of lemon juice or customize this part to your taste. Slowly add it to the batter. It cuts through all of that sweetness and richness etc
9:18 Sour cream is next. Slowly add it in. Reducing the speed to low speed. Full fat sour cream. The sour adds a lightness. The sour cream's light acidity which helps to lighten the batter up a bit. It also helps with the texture so the cheesecake isn't going to be super dense. It's still going to be really rich and delicious but the sour cream helps to temper out the richness of the cream cheese.
10:00 1 tsp of really good quality vanilla extract. If you don't have vanilla extract you can use vanilla bean. Chef likes to use vanilla bean in custards etc
10:22 Chef Thomas takes the pod of vanilla bean and place it in sugar so by time he uses the sugar for another recipe it's already flavored without needed to add vanilla.
10:58 Sometimes with stand mixer bowls the very bottom of the mixture isn't mixed well so make sure to take your rubber spatula and scrape the sides and bottom to make sure it's all incorporated well. Your batter will be shiny and light.

11:23 People usually bake cheese cake in a water bath. Chef Thomas has a large roasting pan filled a ¾ with water. It should come half way up the side of the pan and to avoid the crust becoming soggy or waterlogged, wrap the sides of the pan with the foil to avoid this so that the foils creates and barrier and the water doesnt have access to the cake .The water bath is in a 325 oven heating up. Cook the cheese cake in a low slow oven with that water bath so that the filling is going to cook slowly and gently without puffing up and sinking back down.
13:18 Bake at 325 degrees for an 1 and 45 minutes to 2 hours
13:26 After the first 20 mins of initial cooling, run a cool paring knife along the sides of your cheese cake because while the cake is still warm, this helps to release it for easier removal.

After that cool to room temperature and then it goes into the fridge for 6-8 hours until it's nice and cold. Loosely cover it with plastic wrap if you'd like.
14:07 If you're having an issue releasing the cake, you can take a torch or even a blow drying and run it along the sides of the pan to help the cheese cake to be released. If you do the tip with the paring knife it will help you much.

14:30 To cut, warm your knife with some water and wipe it clean and then warm the knife again and wipe it and then cut it again.

[nadinebu]

This is one of the best tutorials on cheesecake I have seen on YT. Many thanks from a German baker who had problems getting her cheesecake out of the springform yesterday! <3

[Enonwonknu]

Outstanding Recipe!!! Just made this almost exactly as the recipe states (no lemon zest in crust). By far the best cheesecake we have ever made! No sinking, creamy, rich, and dense the way a cheesecake should be. Also, nearly three inches thick! Will definitely be making this again!

[leeannlyons]

I love that you get every bit of food with the spatula! So many cooks just don’t do that.

[micheleclifford]

Joseph. I made your scalloped potatoes on Thanksgiving and you earned my respect and that of the entire family. I cannot wait to add this cheesecake to our menu. Looking forward to more great recipes. Thank you for the attention to detail that you provide as it makes us all shine like pros. Appreciate all the help, esp in the kitchen 😉🙏

[TienPham-ksci]

so happy joseph is back. he explains everything so well . all his recipes turn out delicious!

[lindadenny]

Made this last Christmas, it was my first homemade cheesecake, thanks to this recipe and Thomas’s step by step instructions it came out beautifully. My family’s requesting again this year, think I’ll make it a holiday tradition. You’re the best in your instructions, thank you!

[mariesmith]

I love how you explain every detail of this recipe as you go along! Best I’ve seen so far! Thank you!

[leslienewman]

He is one of my favorite cooking instructors of all time, he’s so thorough and calming at the same time. I can’t wait to try this!

[utkuyilmazx]

I really appriciate him scraping the remaining butter, cracker, cream cheese of the plate. In most food shows, they just throw away the part remaining on the plate and it's really wasteful.

[saratf]

Oh my goodness, he’s the best! I always feel like a chef when I make his recipes.

[yervandpapazyan]

One suggestion. when you write your recipes by American measurements Please can also write down grams, liter and so on. Internationally this measurements every person use and understand

[melii__rk]

The little details such as the reccomended speed to mix is super helpful, I'm literally a beginner backer. This video is great !

[yoshikasangal]

This is the only cheesecake recipe and technique you will ever need. Absolutely recommend! The results are perfect. Thank you for sharing!

[philsorensen]

I served this cheese cake at a dinner party in France. There was nothing but silence and moans of delight. Excellent recipe.

[chadloveland]

I tried this as Biskoff cookie crust and made a lime/blueberry cheesecake. I'm really excited to try it tomorrow after it has cooled down.

Thanks for making this wonderful video!

[laurabarish]

I made this last night and it was amazing. We didn't try it until this morning and it is the BEST cheesecake I've ever had. With every bite I kept saying holy cow, this is amazing. I made a half recipe and did a little juggling of ingredients but it came out creamy and light--not the really dense cheesecake we often see. The only thing missing is that the lemon isn't listed in the printed ingredients. Also, because I was using a much smaller springform pan, it only took about an hour to cook. I did make a couple of other adjustments. First, I can't tolerate wheat so I made a walnut crust, which was great. I also used Lakanto sugar and between using Lakanto and the walnut crust the cake is keto. Thanks for a fantastic recipe and instruction!