This Foolproof Technique Is the Key to Flawless Cheesecakes

It’s beyond disappointing when you pull a cheesecake out of the oven and find a crack on top the size of the San Andreas Fault. Or when you dip a spoon into your crème brûlée, and find the custard curdled rather than a delightfully creamy. Luckily, there’s a two-step technique that ensures even cooking for the most finicky of foods: a water bath.

Related: 23 Outstanding Cheesecake Recipes

What is a water bath?

Also known as a bain-marie, a water bath is the French method of placing a container of food in a larger vessel with hot water, and then cooking the food in the oven. The pan of water protects the custard from the oven heat so it cooks gently and evenly, while steam creates a moist environment that helps to prevent cracks forming on top.

When to use a water bath

Desserts that are prone to cracking or overcooking, especially custard-based dishes, benefit from a hot water bath. Try this technique to create foolproof cheesecake with tequila cajeta, Brazilian coconut egg custards, and burnt caramel flan. Here’s how to set up a hot water bath:

How to make a water bath for cheesecake

Bring a pot of water or kettle to a boil, and then reduce to a gentle simmer. If you’re using a traditional springform pan, wrap aluminum foil around the sides before you place the unbaked cheesecake in the center of a roasting pan. This helps keep water out. (Skip this step if you’re baking the cheesecake in a silicone mold, as these are generally waterproof.)

Place the roasting pan in the oven, and carefully pour in enough water to fill it halfway up the sides of the springform pan. It’s important to add the water only after the pan is in the oven. Transferring a heavy roasting pan filled with hot water and a whole cheesecake is almost impossible without sloshing around the water and potentially burning yourself.

How to make a water bath for individual desserts (like crème brûlée, puddings, and custards)

Nestle your filled ramekins inside a baking pan and place them inside the oven. Carefully pour water into one corner of the baking pan until it fills about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Take care not to accidentally get water inside them.

Water bath vs. double boiler

A double boiler is a stovetop bain-marie. The concept is the same as an oven water bath, with a slightly different execution. Take a pot or heatproof bowl and place it inside of a larger pot with an inch of water, without letting the pot or bowl on top touch the water. Bring to a gentle simmer. The trapped steam gently warms the bottom of the smaller vessel, which will gently cook or melt whatever is inside.

A double boiler is used frequently to melt chocolate or slowly cook eggs, such as for a zabaglione. Desserts with a silky-smooth chocolate sauce, like molten chocolate cake or chocolate mousse, rely on this method. Temperamental sauces like hollandaise are other good candidates for a double boiler, as the indirect heat prevents curdling and burning.

Related: How to Temper Chocolate

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