I typically bake cake, cupcakes and cookies but sometimes I dabble in pie, buns and other delicious things. When my friend and customer asked about making a cheesecake for her daughter's birthday, of course I said "sure thing!"

So, this is how I found myself making Dillan's birthday cheesecake this October without any recent practice under my belt. I told Sarah that I would do my best and I would add some decoration. After all, it was for Dillan's 13th birthday!

I recently pulled up the AP Physics class on Khan Academy for my daughter to start looking at. It listed the pre-requisites. I liked how it was very clear; you need to know basic Algebra, Trig and the Pythagorean Theorem. I figured, why not apply this clarity to cheesecake? Is cheesecake an appropriate challenge for a novice baker? It can be, sure! Here is my list of pre-requisites.

Cheesecake Requirements

1. Have access to a mixer and know how to use it properly

2. Springform pan

3. Food processor or mini chopper (or use another method to crush graham crackers or cookies)

4. Patience for long baking times and long cooling times

5. Patience for un-molding

6. Decorating basics to add some flair to your cheesecake

7. Ability to follow recipe directions accurately

Water Bath?

I have made cheesecakes using a water bath and without. For this cheesecake I opted for no water bath. My reasoning? They are messy and they are always mentioned for avoiding the crust portion of a cheesecake. I actually like that the middle is less cooked than the outside, so I decided maybe a water bath wasn't for me. In the end, I liked how the cheesecake didn't have the risk of leaking (because even with two layers of foil, you never _really_ know), how I didn't have to recycle all that foil, and not having to worry about spilling hot water on myself. The cheesecake came out very well, though slightly taller on the edges which I didn't care for. It didn't crack, and Sarah and her family thought it was delicious.

Recipes

I used a King Arthur Flour cheesecake recipe from their All Purpose Baking Handbook. As with many cheesecake recipes, they give an option for heavy cream or sour cream. You can decide the amounts of each as long as the volume is the same. I opted for heavy cream as it makes for a more decadent and slightly sweeter cheesecake. The recipe called for a rolled out pie style crust, but I prefer cheesecake with a graham cracker or cookie crust, so I opted for that. The other recipes I've used include; Baking from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan and The Cake Bible by Rose Beranbaum. Each recipe has its positives and negatives, but they all have resulted in excellent cheesecake!