by Art Young

Created on: February 21, 2009   Last Updated: February 23, 2009

It is true that a perfect cheesecake is something that can be made rather easily. But, however, it is also true that making a flawed cheesecake is just as easy. This article provides you with several vital tips that will cover the necessary precautions needed for you to get the perfect cheesecake.

1. Preparation of ingredients

The making of a cheesecake is a process that requires quite a bit of patience and careful preparation. There are many things that people do in too much of a hurry, causing their cheesecake to come out in a less than satisfactory state.

When preparing the ingredients needed for mixing, ensure that they are allowed to warm up to room temperature before you use them. This is especially so for the cream cheese, and it is an area where many people make mistakes in. If the cream cheese is not allowed to come to room temperature, it will be much harder to beat the lumps out of it, resulting in a cheesecake that is lumpy at the end.

Although it is possible to eventually beat out all the lumps from cold cream cheese by persistently beating it, this cause too much air to be incorporated into the mixture. The excess air present in the batter will rise to the surface during baking, seeking to escape, and this may result in cracking.

So, make sure you let your cream cheese come to room temperature first before using it. This may take about 30 minutes of waiting time. Alternatively, you may want to heat it up on high in a microwave for about 15 seconds.

It is recommended that you do not use cream cheese that is low-fat or reduced in fat, as these types of cream cheeses normally contain fillers that may affect the baking process, giving you a cheesecake that is crumbly or rubbery. Use fresh Grade AA eggs if possible.

2. Preparation of equipment

When baking a cheesecake, it is so important to use a springform pan. A springform pan is a special type of hinged baking pan where you can remove the sides and bottom. Why is it important to use this pan? It will be much easier for you to get the cheesecake out of the pan after you have finished baking without breaking your delicate dessert.

Make sure that the springform you use is tightly sealed when it is closed so that no batter leaks out. If it is leaky, then you might need to buy another one.

Place parchment paper at the bottom of the springform, and grease or butter the sides of the springform well. This will make it easier for you to get the cheesecake out of the pan later. Also, during cooling, the cheesecake

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