Dec 12, 2006
The first time I made this recipe, I overbeat it and didn't use a waterbath. The cheesecake rose while baking, then fell and cracked. It was the ugliest thing I'd ever made! I ended up cutting off the high edges to make it level, then covered the top with a chocolate ganache. Everyone loved it! I've made it two times since and it has turned out beautifully each time. Don't overbeat your cheesecake, and bake it in a water bath (see instructions on baking a cheesecake). The ganache is still a nice complement--scald a cup of heavy cream, then pour it over 1 1/2 cups of chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 5 mins, then stir until melted. Add 1 tsp. of vanilla, stir, and pour /spread on top of cheesecake.
—jiahhui