A few weeks ago, I posted about how difficult it is (for me, anyway) to bake a cheesecake without the top cracking. Well, finally, I had some success.
I made an cookies and cream cheesecake for Bryan’s birthday. I used a slightly different recipe: In addition to cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla, this one called for a quarter cup of sour cream and heavy cream. And peanut butter Oreos, which I did not need to know existed.
I think the real trick, though, was shutting off the oven after 40 minutes. Instead of taking the cheesecake out at that point, the recipe suggested leaving it inside (in the water bath) with the oven door ajar for another 30 minutes. Perfect!
Smith Family Weblog 
Posted by Laura on June 10, 2008 at 11:23 am
Beautiful!!! Wish I could have sampled some!
Posted by Double L on June 10, 2008 at 11:54 am
Ditto!!
Posted by Katie on June 10, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Looks delicious!
Posted by Rebecca's Mom on June 10, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Peanut Butter Oreos??? Oh, my goodness! I love peanut butter! Bring your pan next time you come!
Posted by smithfamilyweblog on June 10, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Peanut butter has been–by far–my most formidable craving while nursing, and I’ve always found nursing cravings to be far more serious than pregnancy cravings.
Posted by Stefanie on June 23, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Hi! I thought of you the minute this incident happened in my house this week end. I was making a cheesecake….made a water bath to prevent cracking….found a lemon cheesecake recipe and then I intended on putting fresh raspberries and sugar on the top. My friend Mona was driving in from Canada and I wanted to show off my baking skills. When she arrived on Friday, my cheesecake had it’s one hour cooling phase in the springform form, and I was about to put it in the fridge. I said to Mona “Doesn’t it look beautiful?” I was so proud of no cracks. Didn’t put the raspberries on top because I wanted them to go on the cheesecake once it had been chilling after a few hours. I opened up the fridge door, and Mona said “I will help you”. She picks up the cheesecake by the sides of the springform pan, and the thing loosens and giggles, and the cheesecake goes flying upside down on the floor! I yelled! And all we could do is look at the cheesecake on the floor. Frank comes flying in thinking that someone lost a finger….then the uncontrollable laughter follows. Mona looks at me and says “3 Second Rule” as we scoop up the cheesecake in the pan. Thank god my floors were clean, and there was a disclosure when eating said cheesecake that dog hairs may be present! Does that not sound like something that would happen to me?!!!