Do I need to bake the cheesecake in a water bath?

I have used a water bath where you have to line the outside of the pan with aluminum foil to prevent leaking. And then placing inside a pan of hot water. The concept is to bake the cheesecake in a moist environment and help ensure even baking and not over bake it. I found it tricky to avoid leaks and would prefer not to worry about it. My favorite, easy way is to fill a large baking pan with boiling water and set it on the bottom of the oven. The springform pan of cheesecake is baked above it on the middle rack of the oven.

How to make a swirl on top of the cheesecake?

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pan and drop the one cup of reserved cheesecake batter in five large dollops on top. Lightly drag a thin knife through the cheesecake to create swirls.

How do you know when the cheesecake is done baking?

Don’t over bake the cheesecake. When you test it, gently move the pan and give it the ‘jiggle test’. The outer edges should be very lightly browned and should not jiggle. The center will still have some movement but will firm up as it cools. If the cheesecake needs a bit more time, check again after 10 minutes or so.

Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake ⋆ Deb's Daily Dish

Description

This creamy keto swirled pumpkin cheesecake is so easy to make. The pretty swirls on top make this dessert look extra special when serve to family and friends.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Crust
1 1/2 cups almond flour, sifted
3 tablespoons Swerve or choice of sugar substitute
4 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling

4 packages cream cheese (8 oz. each, full fat, softened to room temperature)
1 cup sugar substitute ( I used 1/2 Swerve and 1/2 Monkfruit)
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 TB coconut flour
1 cup pure pumpkin puree' (not pumpkin pie filling with sugar added)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9″ springform pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.

1. Combine the melted butter and sifted almond flour. Mix well.
2. Add in sweetener and cinnamon. Stir to fully mix together.
3. Press crust mixture into the bottom of the pan.
4. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until it is lightly brown around the edges. Let cool while making filling.
5. Into a mixer or food processor, blend the cream cheese and sugar substitute to combine.
6. Add the eggs, cream, flour and salt. Mix together and scrape the sides and bottom to make sure the batter is smooth.
7. Remove one cup of batter and set aside.
8. Into the remaining batter, add the pumpkin and spices and mix together.
9. Pour the pumpkin batter into the pan with crust. Using the reserved batter, dollop 5 spoonfuls of cheesecake batter on top.
10. Take a thin knife and lightly drag it through the dollop to create a design on top.
11. Boil about 4 cups of water and place in an ovensafe pan. Put on bottom of oven
12. Place cheesecake on oven rack above the water bath.
13. Bake for approximately 1 hour. Gently pull out the cheesecake and look to see if the edges look set and the center is slightly jiggly. It will fully set as it cools. If the cheesecake looks a bit too loose, let it bake for another 10 minutes.
14. Turn off oven and let the cheesecake cool down slowly in the oven. Leave door open a few inches. You can help prop it open by putting a kitchen towel between the door.
15. After the hour, remove cheesecake to fully cool before refrigerating.
16. Take the cheesecake out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

*Dairy and eggs should be room temperature to ensure a smooth batter.

* Hand whisk the eggs before adding to batter. And then don't over beat the batter. That can create cracking on the cheesecake.

*Cheesecake should be stored in refrigerator and will stay fresh for 3-4 days.

**You can freeze the cheesecake for up to two months. Make sure you wrap in saran and then also wrap in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.