cheese cake

Cheesecake should never be a source for anything except pure bliss. Not distress. Not frustration. Certainly never tears. Just dreamy, decadent, nonstop bliss.

So let's break down this whole process into easy pieces. Let's talk about ingredients, water baths, dealing with surface cracks — the whole shebang. Here's a step-by-step recipe that will help you make a creamy, no-fail cheesecake that is everything you ever dreamed it could be.

The Best Kind of Cream Cheese to Use

Let's talk for a minute about the cream cheese — a very important ingredient in cheesecake. Some people have brand loyalty to Philadelphia, and I won't deny that this cream cheese makes a particularly silky and lush cheesecake. I've also made cheesecakes with local brands and off brands and been perfectly happy.

No matter what, buy full-fat cream cheese. Cheesecake is not the time to skimp.

A Cheesecake Needs More than Cream Cheese

But as delicious as cream cheese is, it needs some helpers to become a tasty che