Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecake Recipe — Sugar & Cloth (2024)

FAQs

Why is my no-bake cheesecake so runny? ›

The primary reason a no-bake cheesecake is too runny or doesn't set up properly is generally the temperature of the ingredients. If your cream cheese is too warm, the mixture will be too soft and will never set up properly.

If your cheesecake filling goes soupy in texture, don't worry—you can fix it! Just add a little gelatin to the mix, and it will set up in the fridge just fine.

Eggs: Three whole eggs hold the cheesecake together. I also add an extra yolk, which enhances the cake's velvety texture. (Whites tend to lighten the cake, which is actually fine — if you don't feel like separating that fourth egg and don't mind some extra airiness in the texture, just add in the whole egg.)

Soft and creamy, light and fluffy, or firm and dense. Varying the oven temperature and using whole or separated eggs make all the difference.

A chilled cheesecake won't set firm if you don't make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature when you use it. For best results leave it out of the fridge overnight and don't over beat it.

Pull the cheesecake from the oven when the internal temperature of the center reaches 145°F (63°C) as verified with an instant-read thermometer like the Thermapen^® Mk4. Start checking the internal temperature about 10 minutes before the suggested baking time is up to be sure you don't overbake.

When making your filling, overmixing can lead to incorporating too much air into the batter. Once baked, the air bubbles will burst, and the cheesecake will fall and crack. THE FIX: The number one reason why you'd overbeat your batter is because you're having dificulty incorporating cold ingredients.

Flour or cornstarch is sometimes included in cheesecake recipes to preventing cracks. If you find that you always have problems with cracking and your cheesecake recipe does not call for any flour or cornstarch, it's ok to experiment and add some cornstarch (one to two tablespoons) to the batter when you add the sugar.

Combined with even more densely rich cream cheese, sour cream actually tempers the star ingredient a touch, softening its texture. It also adds another layer of tangy flavor and moisture to a cheesecake.

According to Chef Eddy Van Damme, you can do several things to avoid your cheesecake from cracking. Don't overmix ingredients. You want to start with room temperature cream cheese. This way you will be able to blend your ingredients very easily without overmixing.

What causes a cheesecake to crack after baking? ›

Cheesecake develops cracks when the batter has too many air bubbles or when it shrinks after baking. To prevent these cracks, mix the batter lightly and don't overmix since mixing too much will cause air bubbles to form.

But it's less possible to bake an excellent cheesecake without one. Big, showstopper cheesecakes baked without a water bath are more likely to overbake, which will give them a curdled texture, cracks in the surface, and lopsided tops.

If you leave it out for too long, the cake could spoil as it is mostly made with cream cheese. If you don't want to wait around for the cheesecake to cool, you can serve it while it's still warm. But be prepared for it to taste slightly different in texture than what you're used to.