I have always been a fan of cream cheese and the desserts you can make out of it. Creamy cheesecakes are definitely on the top of that list! A good cheesecake has to have a buttery biscuit base, with the smoothest cream cheese filling. I have seen a lot of you either struggle with or are nervous to try out and make creamy cheesecake at home but trust me when I say this, making cheesecake is much easier than it sounds. All you need to do is keep a few tips on making the best cheesecake in mind and you’re good to go.
Now because I love cheesecakes, I have shared a number of cheesecake recipes over the years with all of you. One thing you all love is a no bake cheesecake and guess what! I got on to the no bake cheesecake wagon because of this and I am also equally in love with them now. This is why we’ll also be talking about tips on making the best cheesecake- no bake!
Some of my personal favorite and easy cheesecake recipes that I have shared on the blog are Toffee Walnut Cheesecake Cups , Lemon Cheesecake Shots, and Raspberry Cheesecake- No bake!
Ingredients Needed to make a creamy cheesecake
The most important ingredient for a cheesecake is cream cheese. Whenever I share a cheesecake recipe on my youtube channel or on my blog, a lot of you always ask me which cream cheese I use and where to get it from.
There are a lot of good cream cheese brands available in our local markets but the one I use most extensively is D’lecta. This cream cheese brand is extremely common in the markets and you can find it in any grocery store. These are also available online. Other common brands include Britannia and Kraft.
Other than good quality cream cheese, you will always need some heavy cream or whipping cream. I love using Rich’s whipping cream. Again, this is easily available online. You can also use Amul whipping cream if that’s what’s available or if that’s the taste you prefer.
Another ingredient that you will always need is some digestive biscuits for the base of the cheesecake. I don’t know about you, but a yummy, buttery biscuit base is a must for me in every cheesecake. It is what gives the cheesecake additional texture and deliciousness. For the base, you can use any biscuit you prefer or have at hand. I usually use digestive biscuits but you can also use ParleG, Milk Bikis, Tiger, or even a chocolate biscuit if you prefer the chocolate flavor with your cream cheese cheesecake filling.
Other than these, you just need some icing sugar and other ingredients with respect to the flavor and kind of cheesecake.
Tips for making a creamy cheesecake (baked)
Your cream cheese should always be softened
This is a very very important tip. It is imperative that you use softened cream cheese only. This will make sure that you can beat your cream cheese very easily and thoroughly. This is important because this is what gives the cheesecake its smooth and silky texture. If you beat cold and unsoftened cream cheese, you will have lots of lumps in your mixture and you will never reach a smooth consistency.
Use a Paddle attachment instead of a whisk
A dessert like cheesecake doesn’t require as much air as it does silkiness and proper incorporation of all different elements. This is why I would advise you to use a paddle attachment rather and incorporate everything rather than using a whisk and trying to add air to the batter.
Always paddle Your Cheesecake first
As I have repeatedly mentioned in this article, the texture of the cream cheese is extremely important. Whenever you’re making cheesecake, always paddle your softened cream cheese first and let it become ultra smooth and only then start with adding the rest of the ingredients. If you want a creamy cheesecake, this step is important.
Do not forget to add cornflour.
One very popular problem with cheesecakes is that their tops usually crack. Nobody likes a cracked cheesecake. One way to prevent a cracked top is adding cornflour in your cheesecake batter.
Don’t over mix
Just like most batter, overmixing is never a good thing while making a cheesecake batter. Rather than vigorously mixing ingredients in, it is advised to fold in the ingredients one by one. This ensures that your batter has some air and all ingredients get incorporated well.
Prepare Your Pan Correctly
When making cheesecakes, a water bath is a must (read next point). And because we’re baking the cheesecake in a waterbath, you need to make sure you’re baking your cheesecake in a mould with a closed base. If you’re using a spring form, make sure you are using one which locks perfectly at the base.
Always Prepare a Water Bath
A crucial part of baking cream cheese is baking it slowly and evenly. A water bath always helps with this. The correct way to prepare a water bath is to heat water on the stove and then pour it over the oven tray. If you add cold water to the oven tray and then put that tray in the oven, it will not do an effective job.
Let the Oven do its job
My last tip to you is to be patient and let the oven do its job. Cheesecake batters are mostly liquid and this is why they take longer to bake. Don’t be tempted to open the oven door again and again and sip on some coffee while you wait for the best cheesecake to get baked.
Tips for a creamy cheesecake (no-bake)
While making a no bake cheesecake, all the tips while preparing the batter are the same as the baked cheesecake tips so please keep those in mind. In addition to that all you I would suggest is:
Set your base
Since you’re not using the oven, make sure you set your biscuit base in the refrigerator for a few hours till its firm and butter has set in. If you don’t follow this step, when you pour in the filling, it will seep through the base and spoil the structure of the cheesecake.
You might need gelatin
One thing that baking does is set the cheesecake. But when we’re making a no bake cheesecake I use gelatin to make sure the filling gets set in the mould. This way when you cut into the no bake cheesecake, everything will stay intact.
Whenever you’re making cheesecake at home, whether it is baked or not, keep these tips in mind and I promise you, you will have a stellar dessert! Don’t forget to share your pictures with me on my Instagram account @shivesh17
These tips are great. How much heavy whipping cream is used and can you provide more info. on making the base with biscuits. Thank you h
In a baked cheesecake, is there an alternative to heavy cream? If not, can you share the names of brands that sell heavy cream in India?