what equipment do you need to make a cheesecake

Cheesecake. Decadent, rich, and oh so versatile. It also happens to be pretty easy to make yourself even if you don’t have a lot of fancy equipment. In this post, I’m going to tell you everything you need to know about how to make a homemade cheesecake! While this post does contain a lot of great information, in order to make a cheesecake from here you’ll need a recipe. I’ve included a few links to cheesecake recipes in this post to get you started!

Cheesecake is a magical dessert. There are so many ways to prepare it, ingredients to use, and flavor profiles to experiment with, that you really can make this your own over and over again in a countless number of ways.

Even if you are a novice baker, cheesecake is not as hard to make as you might think. Why make a cheesecake from scratch? Well, I have found the vast majority of store bought or restaurant cheesecakes to be one note, with a texture that isn’t as smooth as homemade. In fact, many restaurants that have cheesecake on the menu don’t even make it themselves anyway. They buy it pre-made.

Also, the graham cracker crust has that refrigerator flavor (you know what I mean) from sitting too long. It has no flavor, and it’s soggy. No thanks!

I highly recommend making cheesecake from scratch from here on. It’s easy and the variations are more numerous than you find in a store.

1. 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan.
2. Aluminum foil.
3. Food processor.
4. Stand mixer or electric hand mixer.
5. Measuring cups and spoons.
6. Spatula.
7. Roasting pan or other dish big enough to hold the springform pan.

Best Cream Cheese For Cheesecake

Definitely use full fat, don’t use low fat cream cheese. You are not going to be happy with the result.

Use a product labeled cream cheese, not neufchatel. It is not something I have ever used personally or seen it used in other cheesecake recipes.

Also, be sure to check the ingredient list. There are some cheaper alternatives that will have ingredients like palm oil in them, and these will not produce a good result.

The moral of the story? Stick with full fat cream cheese, organic if you can (I think it tastes better).

If you are going to use ricotta, get the best quality you can find. Again, full fat not low fat! For a great cheesecake recipe using ricotta cheese, check out this Dark Chocolate Orange Cheesecake.

Typically, large eggs are the way to go. Remember, you won’t need them if you are making a no bake cheesecake.

White granulated sugar is the most common, but you could try raw turbinado or even brown sugar. As far as sugar substitutes go, you can try using anything ok to bake with for a baked cheesecake. Your options might be a little more broad for a no bake cheesecake. You can even use powdered sugar in no bake cheesecake to help stiffen the mixture.

I know I’ve said this already, but use the full fat version. You could use Mexican Crema, plain Greek Yogurt, or creme fraiche in place of sour cream if you choose. Just use full fat!

Gelatine is commonly used in the no bake variety of cheesecakes to help the cheesecake batter set and create a firmer texture. You could use powdered gelatine or gelatine sheets.

This can be used as is for a baked cheesecake. It is a pretty important ingredient for no bake, because whipping your cream into stiff peaks in combination with the cream cheese creates a fluffy yet firm texture.

How To Make Cheesecake Filling

The process for making cheesecake filling is similar whether or not you bake it. For baked cheesecake, always make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. There is an exception to this with a no bake cheesecake, though. For that, you will want your cream cold so it whips nicely, and your cream cheese to be room temperature.

Why is that?

• It helps prevent cracks in the top of your baked cheesecake because the ingredients are properly incorporated.
• Your stand mixer or hand mixer will be happy because it does not have to work as hard fluffing up a bunch of rock solid cream cheese.
• Room temperature cream cheese means more air can be incorporated into your cheesecake batter. This means a smooth cheesecake batter with a lovely texture.

For a baked cheesecake, you are going to start making the filling by whipping your cream cheese and sugar in either a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer until it’s light and fluffy.

If you are using any additions like ricotta, lemon zest, chocolate, or vanilla this is the time to add them once the cream cheese and sugar are incorporated.

Next, the eggs are added one at a time and mixed after each.

Once the filling is ready, you can pour it into your prepared pan with the crust of your choice.

At this point, you place it in the oven if you’re baking it, or in the refrigerator to set if it’s no bake.

Amazing No Bake Cheesecake Recipe

Can you use a food processor to make cheesecake?

Using a food processor for the cheesecake batter is actually better than using your mixer; the blades cut air out of the mixture rather than whip air into it. Cheesecakes require a gradual cool down, so once your dessert is finished baking, turn off the oven and let the cheesecake rest there for 30 minutes.

Is cheesecake a healthy food?

Vegan cheesecake has healthy ingredients and can be adjusted according to food preferences. A recipe with rice milk and seeds is a great suggestion.

Do you need special cheesecake baking skills?

This creamy, indulgent dessert is a real treat, but it does require some special cheesecake baking tools and skills (do you know about the wobble test?). Master cheesecake by investing in some of these must-haves for baking your best-ever cheesecakes. Looking for more kitchen basics?

How do you make a good cheesecake?

Sour cream is most definitely the right choice. A little flavor: 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and 2 of lemon juice. The lemon juice brightens up the cheesecake’s overall flavor and vanilla is always a good idea. Eggs: 3 eggs are the final ingredient. You’ll beat the eggs in last, one at a time, until they are *just* incorporated.