I went to a local store to buy a 3" high pan for a cheesecake I wanted to make. The recipe specified "eight inch round one piece pan". The saleslady showed me a springform pan, which I already had at home. I told her that I was not buying that, since I had one already, but I need a one-piece pan. She did not have that, so she told me just to use the springform. She said that she had made so many crustless cheesecakes w/ it, with no problems. Being that it was pouring outside, and I would have to walk 15 minutes to the store that for sure had what I wanted, I listened to her - BIG MISTAKE The cheesecake absorbed all the water in the water bath, and looks disgusting!! I had to run out to the grocery to get new ingredients for a different kind of cheesecake (making for a friend who did not specify which kind of cheesecake she wants, she's just paying for ingredients), starting to make it now!! It will be a late night!!

Here are the pictures of my disgusting, collapsed, soggy cheesecake, and a picture from the cookbook:

I'm so sorry! Best of luck.

I've done crustless cheesecakes in my springform pans before--instead of sitting the springform pan in a waterbath, I just set a pan of hot water on the rack underneath the one I'm using for the cheesecake. That way the steam from that keeps it from cracking and you dont have to worry about any water seepage.

i always wrap the bottoms in alluminium foil

Yep...I use two pice springform and wrap the bottoms with foil...works like a charm. Next time, eh?

I dunno, I made cheesecake yesterday with a foil wrapped pan in a water bath and the water still leaked through somehow. Sogged my crust all up, plus a few other mistakes I made in the recipe.

On my second cheesecake I just put the water bath on the rack below and it worked great. Plus fixed my other mistakes. haha.

I NEVER use a springform pan for cheesecakes, I don't know why it's just my personal preference. I always use a 3" high 8" cake pan and bake it in a water bath for 1 hour. Turn the over off and prop it open with a wooden spoon for another hour and pull it out and let it cool before I put it in the fridge overnight. I know it sounds like a lot of work just for a cheesecake, but I've gotten rave reviews on mine- especially my black forest cheesecake, the pumpkin and my strawberry-coconut cheesecake.

Always go with your gut, salespeople need to make a buck so they'll sometimes sell you anything.

I'll try putting the water bath underneath next time. Thanx

I tried putting the water on the bottom rack this week for my cheesecake. I was baking in a rectangle pan, so not sure if that makes a difference. but my cheese cake cracked worse than ever. Also learned if adding pepperment to cake (broken candy cane) only add to batter. I sprinkled some on top and it left craters in it. Oh well, just covered with home made whip cream, everyone loved it the same.

For those of you who don't use a springform pan - how do you get the cheese cake out after baking without ruining the top?

When I do mine in a regular cake pan I just freeze it for a bit then put a cake circle over the pan then flip it out then flip it back on another circle.

The way I get mine out without ruining the top is (here's another process) after letting it cool for a minimum of 4 hours (I always let mine sit overnight in the fridge). I take it out and run a paring knife around the side of the cake (between the cake and pan) to loosen it, if I used a piece of parchemnt paper on the bottom of the pan (which I don't always do), I just put a piece of plastic wrap on the surface and turn it out onto a cake circle and flip back right side up onto the serving dish- viola!

Now if I didn't line the pan with the parchment, then I turn the burner on the stove to the highest setting and sit the pan on there for 10 seconds (or you can put it in a shallow bath of REALLY hot water) this helps to loosen the crust, and follow the same procedure as above for turning it out. I have yet to have a messed up surface (knock on wood).

PS: If you've never eaten or baked a cheesecake in a water bath (without a springform) you really should just to see the vast difference in the textures of the two. The springform gives you more of a cakey texture whereas the water bath is a creamier, richer texture.

Tita9499,

Thanks for the process. I always make mine in my springform pan wrapped in foil, but have always feared a soggy mess. I will have to try your process and see.

Trust me, if done correctly, the long process is worth it! Let me know how it turns out.

After 2 days, the cake seemed the have dried up, it just looked all wrinkly like it had sat in the bath for too long- well it did, didn't it? But I took to my MIL's house, the family was all there. Well, lets just say, my SIL wanted to know why I only brought 1 cheesecake, it was not enough. It tasted delish, so now we'll be trying it again!! In a one-piece pan, or over the water bath

The entire purpose of baking the cheesecake IN a water bath is because a cheesecake is actually a custard, and you want it to SLOWLY cruise to its perfect temperature. Same thing with crème brûlée and other custards.

Placing a pan of water in the oven is for steaming, which is not what we want to do to our cheesecakes.

Cracked cheesecake is a sign of overbaked cheesecake. I follow the directions of Rose Levy Beranbaum to the letter and my cheesecakes always turn out perfect. I also hate springform pans and use regular cake pans with buttered parchment. Like Tita said, the long process is absolutely worth the results.