Bathing a Cheesecake? Help!

[Jewel]

I'm getting ready to make this Brownie Cheesecake Torte and I'm still stressing. Seems like every time I have to make a really nice presentation with a cheesecake, it cracks like an egg. I've read that baking it in a water bath would help. Should I do this for the Brownie Cheesecake? I've never done it before, and the first thing I think of is that no matter how much foil I put on that pan, it's going to leak. Does it make a difference that the only pan I have big enough is a roasting pan? Will the weight of the pan underneath the cheesecake affect the heat distribution and how the cheesecake cooks? I'll admit it, I'm stressing... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[Gail]

I'm sorry, Jewel. No cheesecake wisdom to impart here. I admit to usually having pretty good luck by turning off the oven toward the end of the baking period and leaving the thing in with the door ajar for the last portion of the time.

It was just the thought of a cheesecake taking a bath--BTW I use a large roasting pain as a Bain Marie quite successfully for other desserts-- a decadent-looking chocolate thing, lounging in my son's little blue plastic bathtub, bubbling merrily away in the oven... Well, the image just kinda struck me as ludicrous-- okay, okay, Emily's already accused me of sniffing paint... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[aggie94]

Jewel,

Try this thread: http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/006005.html

In one of the recipes, there are instructions for a water bath, and on the second page, someone posted similar suggestions. I think there is also another thread out there that talks about this, so you might try a second search if this doesn't help. I wouldn't worry about the pan leaking - just use some heavy duty aluminum foil, and I think it should be fine. I use this method to bake flan, and I don't think the type of pan makes all that much difference - it's just there to hold the water. In fact, I've used a roasting pan for my flan water bath before. Good luck!

[This message has been edited by aggie94 (edited 04-27-2001).]

[philamark]

When I make cheesecake, I use 2 layers of the heavy duty aluminum foil....sometimes the water can penetrate the first layer. Good luck!

[This message has been edited by philamark (edited 04-27-2001).]

[Jewel]

Well at 10pm I had to run to the store to buy more cream cheese and some Andes Mints so I could quickly make the Chocolate Mint Cheesecake to take to the party tomorrow. The Brownie Cheesecake Torte is TOAST! It looks beautiful but the outer brownie crust is hard as a brick. I poked into it with a knife from the side (took some force) to see how far the brick went, and it went all the way through. I had to lift it off of the springform pan to re-use my pan for the Rescue Cheesecake, and that Brownie thing lifted right off like a Frisbee.

I followed the recipe to the letter! There has to be a better way to make a brownie crust than this. The dough was so sticky and stiff that I had such a hard time spreading it into the pan, and getting it up the sides (and getting it to stay there!) was a headache. Took me over 15 minutes just to put the crust in the pan! I think the filling is good, I haven't tried it. I'll leave it for my husband and let him test it. He can pull out the 'ol Swiss Army Knife and see if he can cut into the dang thing!

So I'm up until Midnight waiting for this Chocolate Mint Cheesecake to come out of the oven and cool enough to put it in the fridge and go to bed! So much for spectacular party desserts, huh?

[erinyyc]

Not being a baker (o.k., my baking stinks), this post made me giggle. All I could picture a was cheesecake floating in the tub with bubbles, candle light and a glass of wine! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif.
I think maybe I've had one too many.....
Erin

[This message has been edited by erinyyc (edited 04-28-2001).]