In article >,
Damaeus > wrote:

> In news:rec.food.cooking, "Pete C." > posted on Fri,
> 26 Nov 2010 20:53:31 -0600 the following:
>
> > Damaeus wrote:

> > > I took a picture of it after it had been setting up for five hours in
> > > the cooling oven. Notice there are no cracks in it. There were no
> > > cracks after eight hours, and no cracks after chilling for fourteen
> > > hours:
> > >
> > > http://home.earthlink.net/~damaeus/i...cheesecake.jpg
> > >
> > > I did put a pan of water in the oven on the bottom rack. I used the
> > > same method for the first attempt at this cheesecake and had a very
> > > small crack on each side. I think the added moisture from the steam
> > > of the lower pan kept the cracks from forming at all this time. Next
> > > time I'll put the pan directly into the water bath.
> >
> > I'm not sure that's really it, sometimes I get cracks and sometimes I
> > don't, with no changes in recipe or technique. The cracks may be related
> > to the phase of the moon or something.
>
> From what I've researched, overbeating, overbaking, and cooling too
> quickly will all cause a cheesecake to crack. And I imagine if you don't
> grease the sides with something, as the cheesecake shrinks, the sticking
> to the side while shrinking toward the middle will also cause cracks.
> Cracks don't taste bad, but I like the way it looks without them.

That's why my wife claims that God invented sour cream. She mixes up
sour cream with something (probably sugar), and then fills in all the
cracks. Then she puts a thin layer over the top of the cheesecake.
Makes it nice and white.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA