Room Temperature Ingredients

For cheesecakes and many other baked goods, room temperature ingredients are not a suggestion but a requirement. Cold cream cheese cannot be beaten smooth no matter how long you mix it, resulting in a lumpy batter with pockets of unincorporated cheese that bake unevenly. Take cream cheese and eggs out of the refrigerator at least two hours before baking. If pressed for time, cut cream cheese into cubes and spread on a plate to warm faster, or place sealed packages in a bowl of warm water for 15 minutes. Eggs can be warmed quickly by placing whole in a bowl of warm tap water for 10 minutes. Room temperature ingredients also emulsify more readily, creating a smoother, more homogeneous batter that bakes into the silky custard texture that defines a great cheesecake.