# Baked Cheesecake - cooking time?



## bakingbeauty (Feb 10, 2010)

Hi,

I have successfully baked a cheesecake that required me to use an 8.7 inch (22cm) round springform tin and bake at 356 deg F (180 deg C) for 45 mins in a bath of hot water. The hot water comes halfway up the sides of the cake tin, which itself is wrapped in aluminium foil on the outside.

I wanted to halve the quantity of the cake, and would appreciate any guidance in terms of how much I would need to reduce the cooking time, temperature, or other variants by! :blush:

Thank you!


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

As a "rough rule of thumb" when baking, as long as temperature and other method stays constant, vary time in direct proportion to amount.

In your case, that would mean half the time, or 22-1/2 minutes. 

However, it's only a rough rule, other factors never stay exactly constant, and so on. A cheesecake is done when it passes the "jiggle" test, and only then. Start testing at around 20 minutes. 

By the way, you cook your cheesecake at a much higher temperature than conventional wisdom and many others (including me) use or recommend. I'm not saying you should change it, but it's worth remark. Another rule is: If it works it works, and if it ain't broke don't fix it. Still, if this thread goes long enough, I won't be surprised when you get advice to use a lower temp.

Hope this helps,
BDL


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## chris.lawrence (Oct 19, 2009)

As prompted:
Use a lower temp!

180 is way too hot! The difference between a good cheese cake and an ok one, is how delicate the gel of egg proteins (custard) are. The slower they uncoil and combine, the more delicate the gel becomes.

I go as slow as humanly possible. Peaking barely above 100 (therefore the water bath would be at around 70-80).

Its done when it jiggles, and when a toothpick comes out clean (god bless the toothpick!).


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## bakingbeauty (Feb 10, 2010)

Thank you both for your recommendations! I baked it over the weekend and did have it at 20 degrees lower and it turned out great! I think I left the base in a *tad* too long though, it was a little more done than I would have liked.

Thanks again!


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