3 Foolproof Tests to Tell if Your Cheesecake Is Done, According to Our Test Kitchen

As with most baking recipes, a lot of science and precision is required when making cheesecake from scratch, but perhaps the trickiest part of the process is knowing when it's done baking. The last thing you want—after dedicating time and effort to your recipe—is a too-soft, undercooked cheesecake that can’t hold a cut edge. It’s also sad when that beautiful New York-style cheesecake ends up over-baked, dry, and cracked.

Straight from our Test Kitchen, here are a few simple tricks to test the doneness—so there's no question that you'll be slicing into a perfectly-baked cheesecake every time.

Tips

If you're using the water bath method, give your cheesecake an hour of standing time (turn the oven off and allow the cake to sit there) to allow it to set.

Related: 12 Creamy Cheesecake Recipes with Unforgettable Flavors

3 Ways to Tell When Your Cheesecake Is Done

While the toothpick test has been touted as a catch-all test for cheesecake doneness, it has its drawbacks. Using a knife or toothpick to test a cheesecake may create a crack in the top. This method also doesn't give an accurate test for cheesecakes made with a lot of sour cream, as you wouldn’t get a clean result at the tip of your knife.

These are our Test Kitchen’s favorite techniques for telling if cheesecake is done, along with a few more tips.

1. Give it a Jiggle

The secret to testing a cheesecake for doneness is to jiggle it. Define jiggle? Gently shake your cheesecake (wearing oven mitts, of course). If the cheesecake looks nearly set and only a small circle in the center jiggles slightly, it’s done. You might worry a runny middle means raw cheesecake, but it’s normal and safe to consume. The center will firm up as it cools on a cooling rack, resulting in the smooth surface you want.

Tips

Cheesecakes made with sour cream should jiggle a little more and will have a larger soft spot in the center than other cheesecakes.

2. A Gentle Touch

You can tell if a cheesecake is baked by using your hands. Use clean hands to gently—emphasis on gentle—touch the top of the cheesecake in the center. If the surface is firm but has a slight give, it’s done.

3. Test the Temperature

This is probably what we'd call a last-resort method because it makes a hole in your gorgeous cheesecake, but if you’re concerned about food safety, you can poke it with a kitchen thermometer to ensure it's reached the internal temperature of 150oF. This technique works well if you plan on topping the cheesecake, which would hide the small hole.

Tips

To make a clean slice of cheesecake (or any cake), dip your knife in hot water, wipe it dry, and slice. Repeat between cuts as needed.

Practice makes perfect, and you have plenty of delicious cheesecake recipes to try out and work your baking magic at home. Add some festive flavors to your cheesecake, such as pumpkin spice or maple pecan, or give the chocolate lovers in your life a rich slice of chocolate-Irish cream cheesecake. If you’re not up for baking, there are also no-bake cheesecake recipes that are just as creamy and decadent.

Read the original article on Better Homes & Gardens