Cake

The best way to Bake Cheesecake in a Water Bathtub

By / April 11, 2023

Let’s discuss how one can make a water tub for a cheesecake! They aren’t exhausting to arrange and the additional step gives you a stupendous, creamy cheesecake freed from cracks! Plus, I’ll share with you my tips for no leaks!

a full vanilla cheesecake with a slice cut and slightly removed

There’s little question that I’m an enormous fan of cheesecake. The sheer variety of cheesecake recipes on my web site provides me away. I really like the classics and I really like distinctive twists. And with all of the cheesecake baking I’ve carried out through the years, I’ve realized lots and my primary tip for fulfillment is a water tub. If you would like a stupendous cheesecake freed from cracks, over-browned edges and a sunken center, you must use a water tub.

What’s a Water Bathtub?

Cheesecake is mainly a custard-based dessert and due to this fact must be handled in a different way. A water tub, also called a bain marie, is our secret to the right cheesecake. It produces steam that wafts all through the oven, serving to to make sure that the cheesecake cooks evenly and stays good and creamy. It additionally moderates the warmth on the perimeters of the pan in order that they edges don’t prepare dinner a lot sooner than the middle.

Why Use a Water Bathtub?

The advantages of a water tub are a lot. It provides you a cheesecake that:

  • Is freed from cracks.
  • Doesn’t over prepare dinner or over brown on the sides.
  • Doesn’t sink within the center whereas cooking.
  • Stays tremendous clean and creamy.

Nonetheless, water baths can usually be complicated, leak and usually be a ache. So I’m excited to share my strategies with you in the present day as a result of they aren’t sophisticated, received’t leak and it’s SO significantly better than not utilizing a water tub. You spend a lot time making a cheesecake – don’t skip this remaining step and find yourself with an underwhelming outcome.

What You’ll Want

I’m going to share a couple of methods of organising a water tub. You will have choices! The primary requires the least quantity of apparatus, however is most definitely to leak. The opposite two will hold you leak-free and actually depend upon choice. Right here’s what gear you’ll want.

  • Springform Pan: You’ll want a 9 inch springform pan for many recipes.
  • Massive Pan: “Massive” is a bit obscure, however in the end you want a pan bigger than the springform pan that the water will really go in. It may be a big roasting pan or a big cake pan (I take advantage of a 12 inch cake pan).
  • Aluminum Foil: That is non-compulsory relying on the strategy you select. I like to recommend to lengthy, heavy duty foil.
  • Slow Cooker Bags: These are non-compulsory relying on the strategy you select, however will help stop your water tub from leaking.
  • Large Silicone Pan: That is additionally non-compulsory relying on the strategy you select, however it’s the easiest way and most definitely to stop leaking. It’s a must to purchase the pan, however should you bake loads of cheesecakes, it can completely be value it.
  • Scorching Water: To fill your bigger pan.

The best way to Set Up A Water Bathtub

Establishing the water tub is a couple of step course of. The wrapping of the pan occurs after you bake the crust and including the new water occurs simply earlier than you bake it.

  1. Make your crust: The very first thing you must do for any cheesecake is correctly prep your pan and add your crust. I usually use a graham cracker crust or Oreo crust. I usually pre-bake my crust a bit.
  2. Prep your pan for the water tub: After you bake your crust, you possibly can go forward and prep your pan for a water tub utilizing one of many 3 strategies beneath. After prepping the springform pan, place your springform pan into the bigger roasting pan or cake pan.
  3. Add cheesecake filling: Now you can also make your cheesecake filling and add it to the crust.
  4. Add sizzling water: Convey your pan near the oven so stop transferring a pan stuffed with water everywhere, then add the new water to the outer massive pan.
  5. Bake cheesecake: Place your cheesecake and it’s water tub within the oven and bake as directed.
  6. Cool Cheesecake: When your cheesecake has baked, you possibly can take away it from the water tub, however depart it within the springform pan. You possibly can set the cheesecake on a cooling rack to chill to room temperature after which refrigerate it, or simply place it straight within the fridge to chill utterly. For those who don’t need any condensation forming on prime, let it cool to room temperature earlier than refrigerating it.

Three Water Bathtub Strategies

Methodology 1: Aluminum Foil

For this methodology, you’ll use aluminum foil across the exterior of your springform pan. I’d suggest two or three layers to attempt to stop leaking. You additionally don’t wish to crinkle the foil an excessive amount of on the backside. It may possibly trigger little cracks to kind within the foil, which might trigger leaking. Depart it a contact looser across the backside.

a cheesecake in a springform pan wrapped in aluminum foil for a water bath

Set your foil-wrapped pan in your bigger pan and fill the bigger pan with sizzling water that comes about half approach up the aspect of the springform pan. The water can boil a contact throughout baking, so that you don’t need it to return up too excessive or the water may “leap” over the foil. Lastly, bake your cheesecake in response to your recipe.

Methodology 2: Gradual Cooker Luggage

I’ve been utilizing this methodology for a very long time. It was my unique methodology for a leak-proof water tub and I’ve been doing this for years. Gradual cooker luggage can maintain as much as the warmth and received’t kind little holes or cracks, like aluminum foil. For this methodology, first wrap your springform pan within the gradual cooker bag. The bag can be a bit huge, so tie a knot with the surplus.

a cheesecake in a springform pan wrapped in slow cooker bag for a water bath
a cheesecake in a springform pan wrapped in slow cooker bag and aluminum foil for a water bath

Wrap a layer of foil across the exterior of the gradual cooker bag, then place the pan within the bigger pan. Fill the bigger pan with sizzling water that comes about half approach up the aspect of the springform pan, then bake your cheesecake.

Methodology 3: Silicone Pan

That is my most up-to-date methodology. After getting loads of questions on utilizing a silicone pan rather than the gradual cooker bag and foil, I made a decision to strive it. I completely fell in love with this methodology! No want for wrapping and unwrapping, and no want to fret about leaking. One other plus is that the silicone pan is reusable so that you received’t have to purchase foil and luggage time and again.

So for this methodology, simply set your springform pan within the silicone pan. Place that into the bigger pan that can maintain the water, then add your sizzling water and bake. Simply remember that the water ought to solely be about midway up the perimeters of the silicone pan. You don’t need it to return up too excessive. The water may boil a contact whereas baking and also you don’t need it to “leap” over the perimeters of the silicone pan and get into your crust.

a cheesecake in a springform pan placed in a purple silicone pan for a water bath
a cheesecake in a springform pan placed in a purple silicone pan and larger pan for a water bath

Examine: Cheesecake Baked With and With out a Water Bathtub

I’ve informed you what occurs if you bake a cheesecake with no water tub, and confirmed you how one can set one up. Now let’s have a look at the ultimate outcome with and with no water tub. Outcomes may range a bit between recipes (I used my Basic Vanilla Cheesecake), however that is typically what the distinction seems to be like.

Cheesecake Baked with Water Bathtub

a cheesecake in a springform pan that was baked with a water bath, after baking and cooling
A cheesecake baked in a water bath on a serving platter
A cheesecake baked in a water bath on a serving platter

Cheesecake Baked With out Water Bathtub

A cheesecake baked without a water bath on a serving platter
A cheesecake baked without a water bath on a serving platter

Can I Simply Put A Pan Of Water On The Rack Under?

I get this query quite a bit, so I examined it. Whereas your outcomes might range relying on the recipe, I discovered that the outcome was sort of within the center. It nonetheless browned a bit greater than if you use a water tub and nonetheless fell a bit, which you’ll be able to see within the sides, however in any other case it did properly. It didn’t fall within the heart and it didn’t crack. So should you’re actually averse to utilizing a water tub and don’t thoughts the slight imperfections, this would definitely be an possibility.

A cheesecake with a pan of water underneath on a serving platter
A cheesecake with a pan of water underneath on a serving platter

When do I NOT Want a Water Bathtub?

For those who’re utilizing a recipe that doesn’t name for one, then that ought to be advantageous. Mini cheesecakes additionally don’t require a water tub, nor do 9×13 cheesecakes. Their smaller and thinner measurement means they bake extra evenly with out having to make use of a water tub. And naturally a no-bake cheesecake doesn’t want one both.

Professional Ideas For a Nice Cheesecake

Now that you understand how to do a cheesecake water tub, listed here are some superb cheesecake recipes to strive:

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a cheesecake in a springform pan wrapped in slow cooker bag and aluminum foil for a water bath