Tips for Successful Cheesecake

With its cookie-crumb crust and its smooth, creamy dense filling, cheesecake is delightful when it's plain and superb when accented with fruit for a special occasion. But making cheesecake seems to intimidate people; they fear the cake falling or being underbaked. So how can you master this award-winning dessert? See the following tips below:

1. Have your cream cheese softened before mixing the cake batter. Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature on your kitchen counter for about 2 hours, or if you are in a hurry, you can unwrap and microwave each block of cream cheese for about 10 seconds.
2. Allow your cake to bake for the exact amount of time called for in the recipe. Cheesecake will firm up as it cools, so resist the temptation to leave it in the oven longer than what your recipe directs.
3. To avoid cracks, let your cheesecake sit in a turned-off oven to cool gradually. Removing a cheesecake from a hot oven and placing it in a cool room can cause the cheesecake to crack due to the sudden temperature change.
4. If you're pressed for time, try baking your cheesecake in advance. You can wrap the baked and cooled cake in aluminum foil and refrigerate it for up to 4 days. Or, you can wrap it in a double layer of foil and plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 2 months. If you choose to freeze it, be sure to let it thaw in your refrigerator before serving.