Hey there. I am in a fix. I bought everything to make my standard cheesecake, which I have made successfully countless times in my springform pan. The pan is GONE. I don’t know where it went.
I have everything ready to go to make it.
So my question: Can I just make this in a square pan (something rectangular and smaller than a 9X13)? Should I adjust the baking time(s)? Is this doomed to fail? I have a regular 9X13 as well, but I think it is too large.
I kind of need an answer fast, I’m supposed to make this this evening for dinner tomorrow.
I realize there are issues here beyond pan sizes, but here is a very handy-dandy reference for pan sizes and volumes, if you don’t have the size a recipe calls for.
[QUOTE=Alton Brown]
Lower oven temperature to 250 degrees F. Place cheesecake into a preheated water bath, in the oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and open the door for one minute. Close the door for one more hour. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place in the refrigerator for 6 hours to completely cool before serving.
When ready to serve, place the entire cake pan into a hot water bath for about 15 seconds. Unmold onto a cake round or serving dish. Take the remaining graham cracker mixture and press into the sides of the cake.
To slice, place your knife into a hot water bath and wipe dry each time you make a pass through the cake.
[/QUOTE]
Until recently I never did cheesecake in a springform or a waterbath. My favorite, to-die-for cheesecake is done in a 9x13 pan, baked. Never a dry corner. No fuss, no muss, no elaborate timing.
I’ve baked excellent no-crust cheesecakes (which are more like a baked cheesecake pudding) in a greased 9" glass pie dish (of course you can pat a graham cracker crust in before pouring in the batter). Never had a problem! I made one last week, I put the dish in a hot water bath, about 325 degrees for 45 minutes till it seems firm but a bit jiggly in the center. Took it out, cooled 10 minutes,spread with sour cream and a bit of sugar, put it back in for 10 minutes more. It was excellent, so simple. (Though a 9" pie pan makes a smaller cheesecake than a springform. I baked the excess batter in a cupcake pan and took them out earlier.)
