How Do You Make A Cheesecake 'denser'
Decorating By itsmylife Updated 14 Aug 2006 , 4:23am by paxpuella
Hello-
I had a post over in the disasters forum about my cheesecake cracking. Well, thanx to everyone and their expertise... that problem is solved. But now I have a question.
What is it that affects the density of a cheesecake? The cheesecake that I made looked perfect and it was definitely set all the way through, but it wasn't as dense or hard as it usually is. It looked great when you sliced it, but I like them to be just a little denser. Not sure how else to explain it... but this one just seemed 'soft' to me.
So... is there something than can be done to fix this? It chilled in the fridge for two days.. so I don't think that was the problem. Should it cook longer maybe?
Anyhow.... any insight would be appreciated. Thanx in advance!
Denise
Is there any way you can show the recipe you used? that might help us figure it out with you.
I make cheesecakes all the time, but mine are creamy. I'm thinking when you say dense you mean thicker & cheesier maybe? like a New York cheesecake?
I'm not an expert by any means on baking but I'm thinking a cheesecake with at least 32-40 oz of cream cheese and as little as 4 eggs.
also here is a link to bakin911.com - it is a valuable resource for baking problems and solutions 
Here is how I made it:
40oz cream cheese
4 eggs
1 1/3 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
16 oz sour cream
Beat eggs until just blended... add sugar and vanilla. Set aside. Beat cream cheese until smooth, blend in egg mixture and sour cream until just blended. Pour into pan (I use a graham cracker crust in a springform pan). Wrap pan in foil, put pan into a hot water bath. Bake 325 for 1 hour, turn off oven leave in for another hour (door closed). Cool 1 hour at room temp then chill.
Thanx for the response.....this was was VERY creamy... maybe density was the wrong word. I'd like it to be harder (more resistance on the fork or knife when cutting into it). I wish I could pass a slice to you to see... it's hard to explain!
Denise
Mine recipe only uses 4 pkg cream cheese, not 5. I'm not sure if that makes a difference or not. Also, some brands of sour cream have gelatin in them and some do not. That might make a difference. If they do not have the gelatin, they may be more creamy when cooked. Just a thought.
The original recipe called for 32 oz of cream cheese... I upped it to 40.. which made it denser. Well after having that cracking problem and solving that... now it's now so dense again.
The old way I was doing it had a pan of water on the rack below... this time I put the cheesecake pan in the water pan so that's why I was thinking maybe it wasn't cooked enough.
I was really careful not to overbeat this time (as everyone suggested). I looked at my sour cream and there is no gelatin in it. I think I'll try to cut back on the sour cream and see if that does it.
I'll be making another one tomorrow, because I've got to get this right (that and I love experimenting!). Thanx for the help so far!
Denise
I thought I would post the link of the recipe just in case you wanted to take a look
its got milk and flour in it and I'm pretty sure that helps with the density
http://cake.allrecipes.com/az/ChantalsNewYorkCheeseCake.asp
Two words: Water bath.
I have messed with this same issue, and I'm convinced you will always get a "creamy", custard-like cheesecake if you use a waterbath. This kind is still deLIcious, but it's not the denser, drier texture you find in some restaurant desserts.
The bath helps it to not crack, but you can also prevent this a bit by turning off the oven and NOT opening it, and keeping the cake in the oven for an hour to cool slowly. The very fact that you're using a water bath will result in a cheesecake that is more like a cooked custard (which is what they are, really).
Try dry cooking one and you will find more of the dense, more "crumbly" type of texture. I used the Joy of Cooking's recipe for New York Cheesecake for a wedding cake recently, and it was just right. I didn't want the "creamy" version, which I also love, because I thought it might seem almost undercooked to people expecting that dry, dense texture.
hth
The water bath was the one big change from my old way to the new way. Dang it, I guess I can't have it both ways 
. I'm gonna try less sour cream. I did leave it in the oven for the second hour with the door closed and the oven off (whereas before, I would leave the door cracked).
My old version had a pan of water in the oven but on the next shelf... and that one came out to the consistency I like... denser, harder.... but it would crack most of the time.
I guess it's gonna be trial and error...... in the meantime I'm gonna gain 50 lbs.... Oh well 
Thanx for the help!!!! I'll try most anything that anyone suggests.
Denise
My guess is you're beating the eggs too much. Try skipping the 1st step of beating the eggs until combined, and add them 1 at a time just until barely incorporated to the beaten cream cheese mixture.
Cooking in a water bath will always produce a creamier cheesecake. Which is why I always cook mine like that. I much prefer the creamier texture. Your eggs should always be the last thing you add. Add them 1 at a time and mix JUST til incorporated. Heck I don't think mine actually get fully incorporated as I just barely mix them in. If the other way you cooked them was the texture you were looking for I would try the same method but shorten the cooking time 5- 10 minutes but let them cool with door closed for 1 hour. A perfect cheesecake comes with trial and error. I finally found what I believe to be a perfect cheesecake, when I say perfect I mean texture and never cracked. Which is why I always use the method I mentioned in your other post. Flavor is easy to accomplish.
Good Luck
Homecook's right; the water bath does have an effect on the texture. If I'm stacking/doweling mine for a wedding, or if the customer wants a drier texture, I cut the sour cream in half, and dry-bake with water below in the oven.
If it's a creamier texture I'm going for, then full sour cream and a water bath.
--Knox--
My mom's cheesecake recipe is exactly like what you are looking for. It is thick, dense, stick to the fork kind of cheesecake.. unfortunately is always seems to crack if I dont cook it in a water bath. And when I do it does cook up creamier. One thing that I did try (but doesn't alway work) is to run a VERY THIN knife or spatula around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake a bit from the sides. The cake wants to contract as it cools. The cake is adhered to the side if the pan, therefore it cracks in the middle to compensate. Good Luck!
The cake wants to contract as it cools. The cake is adhered to the side if the pan, therefore it cracks in the middle to compensate.
After reading this, that makes sense now. I always wondered why some of my cakes cracked and every once in a while, I would get lucky and have a non-cracked cake.
Has anyone ever tried using a thin strip of parchment paper around the inside of the springform pan sides to keep this from happening? I will probably try this now for hubby's birthday at the end of August. He just informed me he is tired of cake and wants something else. Maybe he'll get a CHEESEcake. 
Gingoodies would you mind to post the recipe for your mom's cheesecake?
Thanks !!!
This post caught my attention on Friday afternoon and I had just picked up my copy of "The Cake Bible" at the library. I made the cheesecake in there using the water bath last night. Would you believe that I tossed and turned and DREAMED of cheesecake most of the night?!!! Well, we just had a piece after dinner tonight, and I was SO disappointed!!! It was very creamy (I prefer dense) and just not right. I'm going to try the recipe posted here next. The one I used called for 2 packages of cream cheese, 3 cups of sour cream and 6 egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Looks like the neighbors are about to get lucky (again)!
OK only because this is CC and everyone here is soooooo generous I will post my mother's cheesecake recipe
6 8 oz pkgs of cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
6 large eggs
Mix this together and pour it into a 9 inch springform pan that has a graham cracker crust pressed into the bottom only. Bake at 350 for approximately 45 minutes. (may take up to an hour) This cake usually rises above the pan and settles back down when cooling. As I stated earlier sometimes it cracks 
sometimes not 
When I take it out of the oven I will try to loosen the sides with a VERY THIN knife or spatula. Let the cake cool on a rack till it comes to room temp, then refrigerate to set up.
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