Does anyone have advice on how to keep a cheesecake from falling while
it cools? I'd really like to be able to produce a restaurant-quality
result (and I've pretty much gotten there on taste), but without being
able to keep the height, the outcome not only doesn't look right, but
it affects the texture as well.

My basic recipe includes eggs, cream cheese, Splenda (in lieu of
sugar), heavy cream, and flavorings. I do make sure to beat
everything smooth and make sure to whip as much air into the batter as
possible before cooking. It comes out of the oven looking great but
then sinks as it cools.

My first instinct is to add unflavored gelatin, but I don't recall
ever seeing that in a baked chesecake. Does anyone have a suggestion
for me to try? (I'll make sure to post my recipe once I get it all
worked out, if you like.)

(KMK) wrote in news:3e4da334.0410251205.39f145c4
@posting.google.com:

> Does anyone have advice on how to keep a cheesecake from falling while
> it cools? I'd really like to be able to produce a restaurant-quality
> result (and I've pretty much gotten there on taste), but without being
> able to keep the height, the outcome not only doesn't look right, but
> it affects the texture as well.
>
> My basic recipe includes eggs, cream cheese, Splenda (in lieu of
> sugar), heavy cream, and flavorings. I do make sure to beat
> everything smooth and make sure to whip as much air into the batter as
> possible before cooking. It comes out of the oven looking great but
> then sinks as it cools.

Since you didn't post the recipe, it's difficult to know all the possible
things that might have caused your problem.

I would use sugar. Splenda is an excellent sweetener, but doesn't always
contribute to the structure in a baked product the way sugar does. The
batter should be smooth, but you shouldn't beat the hell out of it.
Cheesecake batters need relatively gentle handling during mixing. You're
probably incorporating far more air into the batter than the baked
structure can support. If you want one of those "light" cheesecakes,
you'd be better off separating the eggs, combining the yolks with the
sugar-cheese mixture, then whipping the egg whites to glossy peaks and
folding in. You might also whip the heavy cream and fold in. Lastly,
I'd let it cool in the oven after baking. You might want to prop open
the oven door an inch or two while cooling.

> My first instinct is to add unflavored gelatin, but I don't recall
> ever seeing that in a baked chesecake. Does anyone have a suggestion
> for me to try? (I'll make sure to post my recipe once I get it all
> worked out, if you like.)

Unflavored gelatin won't add much to a baked cheesecake, much less keep
it from falling. It's binding power doesn't occur until it's at least
room temperature or, preferably. chilled.

Having said all that, it's also a possibility that you just have a lousy
recipe, or perhaps you've experimented too much.

--
Wayne in Phoenix

*If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.
*A mind is a terrible thing to lose.

(KMK) wrote in news:3e4da334.0410251205.39f145c4
@posting.google.com:

> Does anyone have advice on how to keep a cheesecake from falling while
> it cools? I'd really like to be able to produce a restaurant-quality
> result (and I've pretty much gotten there on taste), but without being
> able to keep the height, the outcome not only doesn't look right, but
> it affects the texture as well.
>
> My basic recipe includes eggs, cream cheese, Splenda (in lieu of
> sugar), heavy cream, and flavorings. I do make sure to beat
> everything smooth and make sure to whip as much air into the batter as
> possible before cooking. It comes out of the oven looking great but
> then sinks as it cools.

Since you didn't post the recipe, it's difficult to know all the possible
things that might have caused your problem.

I would use sugar. Splenda is an excellent sweetener, but doesn't always
contribute to the structure in a baked product the way sugar does. The
batter should be smooth, but you shouldn't beat the hell out of it.
Cheesecake batters need relatively gentle handling during mixing. You're
probably incorporating far more air into the batter than the baked
structure can support. If you want one of those "light" cheesecakes,
you'd be better off separating the eggs, combining the yolks with the
sugar-cheese mixture, then whipping the egg whites to glossy peaks and
folding in. You might also whip the heavy cream and fold in. Lastly,
I'd let it cool in the oven after baking. You might want to prop open
the oven door an inch or two while cooling.

> My first instinct is to add unflavored gelatin, but I don't recall
> ever seeing that in a baked chesecake. Does anyone have a suggestion
> for me to try? (I'll make sure to post my recipe once I get it all
> worked out, if you like.)

Unflavored gelatin won't add much to a baked cheesecake, much less keep
it from falling. It's binding power doesn't occur until it's at least
room temperature or, preferably. chilled.

Having said all that, it's also a possibility that you just have a lousy
recipe, or perhaps you've experimented too much.

--
Wayne in Phoenix

*If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.
*A mind is a terrible thing to lose.

"Does anyone have advice on how to keep a cheesecake from falling while
it cools? I'd really like to be able to produce a restaurant-quality
result (and I've pretty much gotten there on taste), but without being
able to keep the height, the outcome not only doesn't look right, but it
affects the texture as well.
My basic recipe includes eggs, cream cheese, Splenda (in lieu of sugar),
heavy cream, and flavorings. I do make sure to beat everything smooth
and make sure to whip as much air into the batter as possible before
cooking. It comes out of the oven looking great but then sinks as it
cools."

When I make cheesecake (and I've made many different kinds), I've found
that the best to keep it from cracking or falling in the center is to
shut off the oven and open the door when it's done, leaving the cake in
the oven while it cools down very gradually. That way, you're not
exposing it to a drastic temperature change.

"Does anyone have advice on how to keep a cheesecake from falling while
it cools? I'd really like to be able to produce a restaurant-quality
result (and I've pretty much gotten there on taste), but without being
able to keep the height, the outcome not only doesn't look right, but it
affects the texture as well.
My basic recipe includes eggs, cream cheese, Splenda (in lieu of sugar),
heavy cream, and flavorings. I do make sure to beat everything smooth
and make sure to whip as much air into the batter as possible before
cooking. It comes out of the oven looking great but then sinks as it
cools."

When I make cheesecake (and I've made many different kinds), I've found
that the best to keep it from cracking or falling in the center is to
shut off the oven and open the door when it's done, leaving the cake in
the oven while it cools down very gradually. That way, you're not
exposing it to a drastic temperature change.

I bake mine I put a pan of water on the bottom rack in the oven keeps it
moist and it don't crack neither and I let it cool in the oven with the door
open a crack to
"Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message
...
> (KMK) wrote in news:3e4da334.0410251205.39f145c4
> @posting.google.com:
>
>> Does anyone have advice on how to keep a cheesecake from falling while
>> it cools? I'd really like to be able to produce a restaurant-quality
>> result (and I've pretty much gotten there on taste), but without being
>> able to keep the height, the outcome not only doesn't look right, but
>> it affects the texture as well.
>>
>> My basic recipe includes eggs, cream cheese, Splenda (in lieu of
>> sugar), heavy cream, and flavorings. I do make sure to beat
>> everything smooth and make sure to whip as much air into the batter as
>> possible before cooking. It comes out of the oven looking great but
>> then sinks as it cools.
>
> Since you didn't post the recipe, it's difficult to know all the possible
> things that might have caused your problem.
>
> I would use sugar. Splenda is an excellent sweetener, but doesn't always
> contribute to the structure in a baked product the way sugar does. The
> batter should be smooth, but you shouldn't beat the hell out of it.
> Cheesecake batters need relatively gentle handling during mixing. You're
> probably incorporating far more air into the batter than the baked
> structure can support. If you want one of those "light" cheesecakes,
> you'd be better off separating the eggs, combining the yolks with the
> sugar-cheese mixture, then whipping the egg whites to glossy peaks and
> folding in. You might also whip the heavy cream and fold in. Lastly,
> I'd let it cool in the oven after baking. You might want to prop open
> the oven door an inch or two while cooling.
>
>> My first instinct is to add unflavored gelatin, but I don't recall
>> ever seeing that in a baked chesecake. Does anyone have a suggestion
>> for me to try? (I'll make sure to post my recipe once I get it all
>> worked out, if you like.)
>
> Unflavored gelatin won't add much to a baked cheesecake, much less keep
> it from falling. It's binding power doesn't occur until it's at least
> room temperature or, preferably. chilled.
>
> Having said all that, it's also a possibility that you just have a lousy
> recipe, or perhaps you've experimented too much.
>
> --
> Wayne in Phoenix
>
> *If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.
> *A mind is a terrible thing to lose.

KMK > wrote:
> Does anyone have advice on how to keep a cheesecake from falling while
> it cools? I'd really like to be able to produce a restaurant-quality
> result (and I've pretty much gotten there on taste), but without being
> able to keep the height, the outcome not only doesn't look right, but
> it affects the texture as well.

> My basic recipe includes eggs, cream cheese, Splenda (in lieu of
> sugar), heavy cream, and flavorings. I do make sure to beat
> everything smooth and make sure to whip as much air into the batter as
> possible before cooking. It comes out of the oven looking great but
> then sinks as it cools.

That could be part of the problem. Whipping lots of air into the batter,
especially after the eggs are incorporated, makes the cheesecake puff in
the oven and then sink as it's cooling. I've read that to avoid this, you
should beat the batter on a low speed with a paddle attachment, or mix by
hand, and run a knife through the batter to get out the excess air
bubbles.

I don't usually do this since I don't have a paddle attachment OR the
patience to mix by hand, so I beat the cream cheese until smooth and then
mix in the rest of the ingredients by hand, eggs last (since you really
don't want to whip them up), and then bake with a pan of water in the
oven. When it's done, I run a knife around the edge of the pan to prevent
cracks; the cheesecake is going to contract as it cools, so it's best to
not have it stuck to the pan. Mine don't seem to crack or sink too much,
but with 40 ounces of cream cheese and a 9" pan, you're going to get a
pretty lofty cheesecake whether you want one or not!

Good luck,
Alison