homecook, thanks for that explanation.

I don't use springform pans for my cheesecakes. I just use regular pans. I don't even wrap them in foil. My water baths are just cake pans the next size up (for example, if I'm making an 8" round cheesecake, my water bath pan is a 10" round pan). I find that much easier than having to use foil and buy separate springform pans. Just how I do it!

"don't use springform pans for my cheesecakes. I just use regular pans. I don't even wrap them in foil."

CakesbyJess:

How do you get the cheesecakes out of the pans? Do you freeze them and invert? I'm stymied!

--Knox--

My cheesecakes don't have a crust, so I think that's where the difference lies. That means that there isn't a "top" and a "bottom" like there is when there is a crust. So, I'm able to invert the pans on the cake board to get the cakes out. I grease/flour the pans (on the bottom and sides), then put wax paper on the bottom of the pan, then grease and flour the wax paper. I also scoot the pan around on top of the stove burner right before I take the cheesecake out. Also, I let the cheesecakes set up (in the pans) in the fridge for at least 24 hours before I take them out. Any sooner, and they will not come out of the pans in one piece!!

when i use cheesecake as my filling i have it the same height as my cake, which i have on the thicker side so the entire cake only has 2 cakes and the cheesecake... and i use the whole cheesecake.. so if its a 8" cake i use a 8" cheesecake and so on.

All right you secretive girls.

Come on. Give it up. Please tell us what your recipes are.

Thanks for all the tips you guys give up to all us beginners!!!

I only use one recipe for my cheesecakes. I think I may have gotten it from a copycat website. It is very dense like Cheesecake factory is.
I love it.
Note about water baths: If you have to use a water bath, make sure you get a roaster pan. When I first made this recipe years ago, I used my Wilton sheet pan, (didn't know any better!) and my pan was destroyed because the water burned it! I wasn't able to clean it, tried everything. Oh well, live and learn!

Ok, guys...I made my first cheesecake last night. I took it to work to use my co-workers as guinea pigs and they LOVED it. I was so happy and worried but now I know I can make them so now I need to spread the word about an addition to my menu. I won't do this until I've tried a few more flavors. Some of them suggested strawberry, turtle, chocolate and caramel as some great flavors. I'll probably make more this Sunday. I can't wait to start selling these.

Hi guys.....I love crustless cheesecake...for some reason, I don't find the textures of cake and cheesecake together very appealing.....so I bake my cheesecakes without a crust in a regular pan. I start by greasing the pan with a lot of butter....putting it in the fridge until I finish the cake ingreadients and then butter it again....

after I bake it...in a water bath and it had THOROUGHLY cooled....I heat the pan over the burner for a few seconds and invert it into my serving plate. The bottom is perfect in shape and color...so that is now the top!

For those who are interested, I have a really cool way to decorate cheesecakes, but only for the ones where the top remains the top....

Reserve a cup of the cheesecake batter. Pour the rest into the pan. Take half of the reserved batter, add a drop of green food color.....make the other half red....

use a spoon or a parchment cone to pipe the shape of a flower with some petals...right on top...carefully so that it stays on top....(or any other design, border, or even a message)

It will bake right in and you will have a lovely design.

adven68.. that's what I do when I make mini/bite sized cheesecake... I tint the reserved batter in what ever colors I want to use and make flowers or other decoration on top... I've even piped basketballs....depending on the occassion..

Where would you suggest a person look to find those good recipes to prevent the cracking?

AEveryone please pm me your recipes! I make a mean chocolate cheesecake, but would love other recipes!

ttylesmommy, what is your chocolate cheesecake recipe? 

A good New York style Cheesecake.  Heaven, pure heaven.  But the idea of decorating the top of the cheesecake with colored batter is brilliant.  Have to try that.

The nice thing about a cheesecake is that you can cut it up into servings, freeze them, then put them in the seal a meal bags. (yes I use that machine a lot).

I don't worry much about adding different flavors in the actual cheesecake, as you can top it with everything under the sun and make it spectacular.

Thanks for the tips everyone, i'm going to start making my cheesecake and will post pics once I finish. I'm going to actually make little cupcake cheesecakes.  www.MyCupcakeBoxes.com

hey there everyone, has anyone ever sculpted a cake from cheesecake? someone has asked me to possibly make a llama cake out of it. But the thought is making me nuts.

No way.  Tell them no way.  Just...no way.

That's what I think I will say.

ha ha ha, just looked a llama is much larger than an alpaca and have different qualities in their fur. I think the whole thing is ridiculous, and this person is extremely high maintenance, and I can just see the migraine coming on. thanks everyone!

I love baking cheesecakes! Have over 300 recipes, including some savory cheesecakes.

I have the recipe for the famous Junior's Cheesecake from Brooklyn. It's not very sweet and I've doubled and tripled the recipe without a problem.

It does call for the water bath, and I had to finally resort to triple layering heavy duty foil around the outside of the pans.

My problem is when I get to making 10" cheesecakes- don't have a roasting pan wide enough to accommodate the springform pan for the water bath. So, I end up using disposable pans, but have to be careful removing it from the oven.

I have had issues with losing springform bottoms too! Or have them rust out from cutting. So I will usually line the bottom with parchment paper to be able to turn it out on a different serving plate.

I have made cheesecakes for friends, usually charge $20 for 8". If you want my 10" raspberry white chocolate one with the chocolate crumb crust, that's $35. Mainly because Junior's recipe makes a very dense cake, uses a LOT of cream cheese. For 10", I can use 3 lbs. or more. I will usually buy the logs of Philadelphia cream cheese @ Costco.

I always use a food processor with the steel blade. Makes an incredibly smooth batter, but you need to leave the cream cheese out to soften. I pulse the batter to avoid getting too much air incorporated in the batter, but still drop the pan on the countertop to get any air bubbles out, or pop them with a toothpick.