Classic Cheesecake is the quintessential rich, creamy cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust. Divine on its own, pair Classic Cheesecake with sauces and toppings to create a next level flavor experience. Fresh Strawberry Topping is the perfect spring-time cheesecake partner, pumpkin curd ushers in fall, and Easy Peasy Lemon Curd or Banana Curd is a perfect cheesecake compliment at any time of year!

• When preparing curd to serve with Classic Cheesecake, forgo the cornstarch. The eggs alone will provide plenty of thickness and also allow the curd to cascade down the sides of the cheesecake for superb visual appeal.
• Before cutting each slice, dip a long, sharp knife into a glass of water. After each cut, clear any residual cheesecake from the knife with a paper towel or towel. Dip the knife back into water and repeat. This will make beautifully clean slices of cheesecake. Otherwise, chunks of cheesecake can stick to the knife and create very rough edges on the cheesecake slices.
• Do not skip the water bath. This will have a tremendous impact the cheesecake quality. Skipping the water bath leads to cracking, browning, and drying out of your cheesecake. And water baths are actually very simple. See tips below for water bath success.
• Follow the baking instructions carefully. Cheesecakes stay in the oven for a long time! And they should be well along the cooling process before they come out. If they come right out once the oven goes off, the change in temperature will cause all sorts of cheesecake problems!

The thought of a water bath prevents lots of home bakers from even attempting a cheesecake. But these easy tips will ensure your water bath is a simple success every time!

• No need to buy a special roasting pan. Just look around your kitchen to see what large oven-safe pan you might already have. Here, I’ve used a large round cake pan and it worked like a dream! If you can’t find a single large pan in your kitchen, but a disposable roasting pan at the Dollar Tree.
• Make your water-bathing life simple with 18-inch wide aluminum foil. Folding together two pieces of 12-inch wide foil to seal the bottom of your springform pan welcomes the risk of water seeping into the seam and dampening your crust. Why take the chance? Also, 18-inch foil is super handy for covering serving platters and so many other things, so it’s great to have on hand.
• Place the springform pan in the middle of your piece of foil. Fold all of the edges of the foil upward around the springform pan. Do no fold any edges down or sideways, this way or that. This is because the water will be boiling and can hop up into any of those edges that open along the sides of the springform pan. All edges should go up to the top rim of the springform pan.
• Also, cut off excess foil after folding. Do not allow excess foil to hang over the top of the cheesecake. Condensation can form and drip down, creating a soggy crust or spots on your cheesecake.

I learned as a child watching the Golden Girls that cheesecake not only solves most any problems, but it also brings friends together for all occasions or no reason at all. Find the Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia in your life and have a night in over a thick slice of Classic Cheesecake!