EASY Cheesecake Recipe (Only 3 Ingredients) - Alyona’s Cooking (2024)

FAQs

Which baking method is best for cheesecake? ›

A bain-marie, or water bath, is the preferred method for baking cheesecakes because it gently cooks the eggs in the filling.

Avoid Overcooking

DON'T overbake. Overbaking a cheesecake can cause cracks on the surface. The center of the cheesecake should still be a little wobbly, the filling still pale, and the outer ring slightly puffy and firm. It will continue to cook as it cools and maintains that smooth and rich texture.

Eggs: Three whole eggs hold the cheesecake together. I also add an extra yolk, which enhances the cake's velvety texture. (Whites tend to lighten the cake, which is actually fine — if you don't feel like separating that fourth egg and don't mind some extra airiness in the texture, just add in the whole egg.)

They both are great in their own way. It all narrows down to your personal preferences. If you enjoy dense and velvety cake, a baked cheesecake is the one for you. Or if you crave some light and airy dessert post-dinner, go for the no-bake one.

Sour Cream: This gave it more of a tart taste. This could be utilized if you are going to make a flavored cheesecake where a more tart taste would help the other flavors. I think it would work really well with a lemon or lime flavored cheesecake. Heavy Whipping Cream: This gave it more of a milky taste.

Place on oven rack then carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan. Bake at 325°F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the top looks slightly dry, especially at the edges. If the middle is slightly wobbly like jello, that's fine.

Cheesecake is clearly a different animal from bundts or cupcakes, but sour cream has a place here too! Combined with even more densely rich cream cheese, sour cream actually tempers the star ingredient a touch, softening its texture. It also adds another layer of tangy flavor and moisture to a cheesecake.

Overmixing may lead to cracks and a grainy texture

With a batter mainly composed of cream cheese, sugar, and egg yolks, you can quickly form cracks in your cheesecake with the excess air that comes from overmixing (via Cheesecakes World).

Eggs and milk have high protein and moisture content, and they're the primary ingredients in cheesecake, so when cheesecake is left at room temperature, conditions are ripe for bacteria to multiply. According to the USDA's Food Keeper App, cheesecake should be consumed within 5 to 7 days of refrigeration.

Nigella found that adding just 1 teaspoon of lemon juice gave the right balance. You could add a few drops extra if you wish but be careful as too much acid could start to curdle the other ingredients.

Why does my cheesecake taste like scrambled eggs? ›

Baked cheesecakes need to contain some egg as the egg thickens the cheesecake mixture as it bakes, in a similar way to a baked custard, so it is possible that you are more sensitive to the egg flavours within the cheesecake or maybe did not add quite enough flavouring (such as vanilla).

It should be puffy on the edges but visibly underdone in the center. Around 70-75 min in, you can quickly open the oven door and jiggle the cheesecake gently. It should be firm on the edges but quite jiggly in the center. You can also touch the center of the cheesecake lightly - it should feel firm and bouncy.

Regular cheesecake relies on heavy cream and sour cream to thin the batter and create a silkier, creamier texture. New York cheesecake is heavy on the cream cheese which is why it's so dense and rich. Extra cream cheese isn't the only thing that makes New York cheesecake so special.

A water bath helps cheesecakes cook evenly, ensuring the edges don't bake faster than the center. The process gently bakes the custard slowly, ensuring a smooth and creamy filling. Otherwise, the dessert may get a rubbery texture. It also prevents cracking along the surface and browning on the top.

Once filled, the cheesecake is best served within 36 hours, but can be tightly wrapped and refrigerated for up to a week.

This cake mixing method is a classic, and the most common. The creaming method starts with beating the butter and sugar together until they're lightened in color and fluffy. Eggs are beaten in one at a time. The creaming method then adds the dry and liquid ingredients alternately to the butter mixture.

Using a Water Bath

A water bath (or bain-marie if you're fancy) is a large pan filled with water used to bake delicate recipes like custards and cheesecakes. Using one is easy and it's a good way to prevent cracked cheesecakes. Even if your recipe doesn't call for this step, our Test Kitchen recommends it.

Line the Pan Like a Pro

Line the pan with parchment paper, which should come 2 inches above the top of the pan. This keeps the batter from spilling out—the cheesecake rises quickly. Start by spraying the pan with nonstick cooking spray. This will act as the glue for the parchment paper to stay in place.

Extra cream cheese isn't the only thing that makes New York cheesecake so special. It also includes extra eggs and egg yolks to provide and smooth consistency.