Cheescake Anyone?

Baked Cheesecake anyone?  Everyone seems to like Baked Cheesecakes over Set-Cheesecakes, then how come it is harder to find the baked kind? I seriously avoid cheesecakes with gelatine in it, I think the texture is horribly wrong. It is more like cheese-flavored jell-o than cheesecake and who wants that. I guess some people do or maybe they just haven't experienced eating a Baked Cheesecake.

I love baked cheesecakes and when I could not find properly made baked cheesecakes where I live, I decided that I'll just baked one myself. That was over 4 years ago and since then I've tried countless recipies from cookbooks, internet, or just experimenting on my own. My latest baked cheesecake is a Blueberry & Blackberry Cheesecake. It's a modified version of a recipe I saw in one of my new favorite dessert cookbooks, Bake by Rachel Allen (the 2008 version is titled Baking Secrets).

My version pretty much the same as in the cookbook except for a few things. For one, my recipe has more fruits (mixed berries) and instead of placing the fruits on top of the base prior to the cheese mix, I place them in the middle of the cake. Basically, I pour half of my cheese mix on top of the prepared base, then add the friuts (avoiding the sides as I prefer not to see the fruits when I unmould the cake), then top it all of with the rest of the cheese mix. Another thing that I've changed is the amount of cream cheese, I actually add 50g more. Just because I can and because I don't want to waste ingredients. I usually buy cream cheese in packs of two (250g each) and the original recipe only calls for 450g of cheese. I don't find anything wrong with the cheesecake once it's baked as long as I adjust the cooking time. So far, this is the best recipe I have tested. The crust was crispy but not too hard nor to flaky, the filing on the otherhand was smooth and creamy with the right amount of sweetness and fruitiness.

If you want to give baking cheesecakes a try, it is as simple as looking up a recipe in cookbooks or online and giving it a go. It is quite easy and to lend you a hand, here are a few tips I've learned about making baked cheesecakes:

1. I find that cheesecakes bake differently everytime depending on the recipe I use, so I use the time stated on the recipe as a guide, and always check my cake just before the actual time is up. 
2. Make sure you know your oven well before baking. Ovens have different hotspots and if you're using a fan-forced oven with no way to turn the fans off, then you have to reduce the cooking temperature by about 20 degrees celsius. This rule apply everytime you use the oven. In terms of baking the cheesecake, adjust the oven temperature and timer if you must to make sure you are not cooking the cheesecake too fast and in a hot oven. 
3. Buy an oven thermometer, it is a good investment if you love baking.
4. After baking, let the cheesecake cool in the oven with the door slightly ajar to avoid it splitting. When it has reached room temperature, it is safe to put it in the fridge.  
5. I find that baked cheesecakes are better the following day, so always bake it a day in advanced. Not only is it set better, it also taste better.

If you are looking for a good baking/dessert cookbook, I highly recommend Rachel Allen's cookbook.