Cheesecake comes in many forms with different bases, fillings, cheeses and cooking methods. There’s sure to be a recipe for everyone, from a classic New York-style baked to topped with fruit or even vegan. Whichever cheesecake you’re making, cast an eye over these inspiring hacks and tips to improve your homemade creations.
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Get ingredients up to room temperature
Cold ingredients can cause lumps or prevent the mixture from coming together and folding nicely. Before using, take dairy and eggs from the fridge and leave until they’re up to room temperature – at least half an hour.
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Use full-fat ingredients
Usually, cheesecake recipes use full-fat ingredients for better flavor and creamier texture so stick to the ingredients list. If you want a healthier cheesecake, choose a recipe that’s been tested with low-fat cheeses and spreads rather than substituting yourself. Doing a straight swap for low-fat alternatives can affect the final outcome and result in a runny or tasteless cake.
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The perfect base
For a basic cheesecake base, put biscuits in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin or whiz in a food processor into a fine crumb. Slowly add melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand, then transfer to a springform cake tin and press down. If the mixture is too crumbly, a few minutes in the fridge to cool the butter should do the trick. Use your palm and fingers, the back of a spoon or the side of a glass to press down the base then either bake or refrigerate.
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Go baseless
A Japanese cheesecake (also known as a cotton cheesecake) is a soufflé-like version without a base. The light texture is achieved by folding in whipped egg white and pouring the mixture into a cake tin that’s placed in a water bath. It’s then baked until set.
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Upgrade the base
A traditional cheesecake tends to have a digestive biscuit, cookie or Graham cracker biscuit base, but don’t be afraid to mix it up. You could try a flavored biscuit, like in this baked blueberry cheesecake. Give spices, like cinnamon, pumpkin spice or mixed spice a go, try adding crushed nuts to the base mixture or, for a festive feel, you could even do a gingerbread base.
Get the recipe for baked blueberry cheesecake with gingernuts here
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Incorporate your favorite chocolate bar
Mixing cakes with chocolate bars is not a new trend, but this Kit Kat cheesecake is on another level. The combination of smooth creamy filling on top of a crunchy biscuit and chocolate wafer base is hard to resist. You could also try a similar approach with any chocolate bar with a biscuit or a wafer, like Butterfinger.
Get the recipe for Kit Kat cheesecake here
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Make sure the cheese is dry
Wet cream cheese can make a cheesecake soggy, especially true if you’re baking a New York-style cheesecake like this classic one. To avoid your dessert falling apart, drain the liquid from soft cheese beforehand and again, make sure you’re using full-fat cheese.
Get the recipe for New York cheesecake with berry compote here
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How to bake a cheesecake
One of the best ways to cook a cheesecake is in a water bath. After making the cheesecake in a springform tin, cook in the oven in a water bath. A medium-low heat will ensure an even bake. When it’s cooked, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake for at least an hour with the door ajar so it cools slowly.
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Prevent baked cheesecake cracks
Don’t be tempted to open the oven door to check on your cake while it’s baking. Sudden temperature changes can cause pretty significant cracks that will ruin the appearance of your cake. Cracks can also form when a cheesecake cools, contracts and pulls away from the sides. Gently running a palette knife around the edge of the tin after baking will help prevent this.
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Adapt a classic
You can easily take a classic dessert and turn it into a cheesecake. This recipe pays homage to the rich, fruity flavors of Black Forest gâteau but you could also incorporate the flavors of tiramisu, key lime pie, baklava or red velvet cake, to name a few.
Get the recipe for Black Forest cheesecake here
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You can incorporate herbs…
Herbs can add a wonderful fragrance and an extra layer of flavor to sweet dishes and they’re especially nice when paired with cheese. This blackcurrant cheesecake recipe uses rosemary to enhance the sweet, sharp and creamy flavors of this dessert.
Get the recipe for blackcurrant and rosemary cheesecake here
Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.
Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.
Incorporate chocolate
For those with an especially sweet tooth, the addition of chocolate will never go amiss. This indulgent dessert is super simple but takes the cheesecake to the next level. A great recipe to feed many guests, melted white chocolate is added to the cheesecake mix and the finished cake is decorated with white chocolate shavings.
Get the recipe for white chocolate cheesecake here
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Put something extra in the filling…
Stirring berries, chopped fruit, chocolate pieces or nuts through the filling might seem like a good idea, but in reality it severely affects how the cheesecake sets and you might end up with a runny mess. Instead, try adding a set jelly or Jello layer directly on the base. Once that’s set, add the cheesecake filling and set again. When you cut into it, a beautiful fruity layer at the bottom will be revealed.
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…add a topping…
When you want something a bit more special than just a classic cheesecake, add an exciting topping and we’re not talking just a berry compote. Go wild with fresh berries, cream, nuts, chocolate or whatever else takes your fancy. This recipe tops the cheesecake with irresistible Jamaican banana fritter bites.
Get the recipe for cheesecake with banana fritters here
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…or combine two desserts into one
A crunchy topping can add a pleasing contrast to cheesecake’s soft, creamy texture. This berry cheesecake is sprinkled with a crumble made from sugar, butter and granola or you could top it with a take on an apple streusel.
Get the recipe for berry crumble cheesecake here
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Make a grown-up cheesecake
Just a touch of Irish cream added to the cheesecake mixture will make it taste exceptionally indulgent and perfectly suited for special occasions. You can adjust the quantities to match your tastes and decorate the top with some fresh berries, chocolate curls or grated chocolate and an extra drizzle of Irish cream.
Get the recipe for Baileys cheesecake here
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Create a marble effect
Creating a marbled cheesecake is relatively easy and looks impressive. It involves gently folding a darker mixture such as melted chocolate into the cheese filling. Once you’ve mastered the technique, you can experiment with lots of different flavor combinations too.
Get the recipe tahini, chocolate and pistachio cheesecake here
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Create multicolored layers
Use two or three colors to a stunning effect. Make two differently colored cheese mixes (such as vanilla and blueberry or vanilla and chocolate) and build up layers. Set each layer in the fridge for 15-30 minutes before adding the next one so the colors don’t bleed.
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Decorate the sides
For an eye-catching finish, place sponge fingers, biscotti, fruit, crushed nuts or grated chocolate around the outside of a cheesecake. It looks attractive and hides messy or uneven layers.
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Go vegan…
There are lots of fantastic non-dairy alternatives available now, including vegan soft cheeses. If you find the texture wrong for a cheesecake, try making it with cashews or macadamia nuts. The crust is similarly made, swapping biscuits for nuts, seeds, dates and coconut. You’ll never even know the difference.
Get the recipe for vegan blueberry cheesecake here
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…or go frozen
Perfect for summer, this ice cream version also happens to be vegan because the filling is made with frozen banana that is then blended into a thick cream. The base uses oats, nuts and syrup, but if you don’t need your cake to be vegan, you could swap it for the traditional biscuit base.
Get the recipe for banana ice cream cheesecake here
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Make individual cheesecakes
If you have a set of molds or baking cutters, making small, individual cheesecakes can be a lovely touch to the dining table if you’re hosting. These mini cheesecakes are easy to customize to match your guests’ preferences and dietary requirements. You could also serve no-bake versions in mini glass jars or deconstructed in a cocktail glass.
Take a look at our fabulous and fruity summer cakes and desserts
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Top with meringue
Channeling the spirit of a key lime pie, the meringue cheesecake is exactly as indulgent as you imagine. For a bit more contrast, you’ll want to add citrus zest to your cheesecake mix and once it’s ready, top with a generous layer of Swiss meringue. You’ll need a kitchen blowtorch to create that signature caramelized top.
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Create a striking finish
If you’d rather keep your cheesecake classic, but still want it to look nice on the dining table, buy a stencil or print a design onto thicker paper, cutting out the shapes with a craft knife. Hold it over the top of the cheesecake and sprinkle with cocoa, powdered sugar or edible gold for a showstopping finish. For something a bit easier, you can just drizzle over chocolate, caramel or fruit sauce.
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Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.
Turn cheesecake into ice cream…
If you love cheesecake, try an inspired ice cream made with similar ingredients. This New York cheesecake-style ice cream uses cream cheese, lemon and double cream with swirls of buttery digestive biscuit crumbs running through it.
Get the recipe for New York cheesecake ice cream here
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…incorporate in brownies…
This indulgent recipe is a triple layer brownie that not only incorporates the oh-so-familiar cheesecake topping but also a traditional brownie base and a nutty dulce de leche center. It’s perfect when you really want to impress with your dessert.
Get the recipe for triple chocolate brownies here
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…swirl through brownies…
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…or use as a cake filling
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