This Maple Cheesecake is perfectly smooth and creamy, with bits of pear and ginger in the cheesecake for an amazing dessert! This maple cheesecake is sure to be a hit on your holiday dessert table, or anytime you are craving cheesecake!
Maple Cheesecake with Gingered Pears and Gingersnap Crust is similar to the cheesecake that I made on the Great American Baking Show during the Dessert Week episode. On the show, I added chopped, poached pears and stem ginger on top of a Ginger Shortbread crust. I added a lemon ganache to the top and didn't use any maple at all.
THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW on ABC
I've tweaked the recipe to warm it up for fall and winter baking. This Maple Cheesecake Recipe includes maple in the cheesecake batter as well as in the sauce that is drizzled over the top. I've warmed up the base of this cheesecake recipe with my favorite Gingersnap Crust.
The pears give a fresh flavor that breaks up and complements the creaminess. The ginger root adds a pop of warmth. And the bourbon? Well, bourbon is great anytime, but it is the perfect companion to maple and pears!
You can absolutely choose to leave out the pears and ginger root if you want a creamy and smooth cheesecake all the way through. You could top the cheesecake with the Bourbon Maple Sauce alone for the perfect cheesecake topper!
If you are looking for a way to decorate this Maple Cheesecake or any cake or dessert, check out my Candied Pears that look like Stained Glass! I also made these Stained Glass Pears on the Great American Baking Show (on Hulu!).
How to Make a Smooth and Creamy Cheesecake
Everyone wants a smooth and creamy cheesecake, but there are a few tricks to know to ensure success.
- Make sure that your ingredients are at room temperature before you begin. If your cream cheese is still cold, it will not cream smoothly. If your eggs or sour cream are cold when added to the batter, it will chill parts of the batter, leaving lumps that are not smooth.
- Adding just a little flour will help create a smooth cheesecake batter and help to prevent cracking. Using too much flour will give the cheesecake a more cake-like texture, but my tests have shown that 2 tablespoons in this cheesecake batter is the perfect amount.
- Use full-fat ingredients. Reducing the amount of fat by using low-fat cream cheese or sour cream may seem like a great way to lighten up a recipe. But in cheesecake, it will reduce the creaminess as well!
- Add the eggs last and only one at a time. Adding the eggs earlier in the mixing process will create air in the batter. That air will form bubbles during baking, which will expand and contract in the heat of the oven. Not only will the finished cheesecake be less smooth and even, it will also likely crack due to the expansion and contraction.
How to Garnish or Decorate Maple Cheesecake
Typically, cheesecake doesn't require any decoration or garnish at all. But if you want to add a little flair to your Maple Cheesecake, the Bourbon Maple Sauce over Poached Pears listed in this recipe is the perfect way to do it!
To get even fancier, why not add Candied Pears that look like stained glass? I made these stained glass pears for the Great American Baking Show and got rave reviews from judges and viewers alike. They are easy to make and can be done ahead of time!
If you want a simpler and classic garnish, just pipe on some whipped cream or cover with a thin ganache.
Why Did My Cheesecake Crack?
There are many reasons that cheesecakes crack. Here are several of them, and ways to fix them so that your cheesecake has a smooth top!
- Mixing too much air into the batter causes bubbles in the batter, which eventually cause cracks. Only mix the cream cheese until it is smooth, and then only mix in the remaining ingredients until they are incorporated.
- Mixing for too long or at too high a speed after adding the eggs creates air in the batter. That air will form bubbles during baking that expand and contract from the heat of the oven. Not only will the finished cheesecake be less smooth and even internally, it will likely crack due to the expansion and contraction.
- Baking at a high temperature will cause the edges of the cheesecake to set quickly. The center will still expand as it bakes, and the uneven top will create cracks. Use an oven thermometer to ensure that your oven is heating correctly.
- Not baking in a water bath can sometimes cause cracks. Our recipe does not call for a water bath, and if you follow all the tips in this post, you shouldn't need a water bath either. I use a convection setting, which helps ensure an even and gentle bake. If you don't have a convection oven, you may want to consider using a water bath.
A crack in your cheesecake is not the end of the world, though! It will still taste delicious, and you can cover the cracks with whipping cream, caramel, ganache, fruit, or small cookies.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. While some recipes can use a variety of equipment or certain types of equipment can be substituted, there is one that is a MUST for cheesecake.
For cheesecake, one piece of equipment is crucial, and that is a springform pan.
A springform pan allows you to bake a cheesecake that is several inches deep and then remove the sides of the pan so that the sides of the cheesecake are visible.
I highly recommend running a knife along the edges of your cheesecake BEFORE releasing the spring and shortly after turning the oven off.
The batter will stick to the pans sides during baking, allowing the cheesecake to soufflƩ up just a bit during baking.
If you do not run a knife around the edges before releasing the spring, the cheesecake will crack during cooling because the set cheesecake will stick to the sides and pull apart in the middle.
Can I freeze Cheesecake?
YES! Cheesecake freezes amazingly well!
Make sure to chill your cheesecake completely, as detailed in the recipe, before freezing. Then wrap the cheesecake in two layers of cling wrap to keep condensation from forming on the cheesecake. I recommend following this with a layer of foil if the cheesecake will be frozen for more than two weeks to prevent freezer burn.
When you are ready to serve your cheesecake, remove it from the freezer and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for about four hours. Keep the cheesecake wrapped while it thaws to prevent condensation.
If you do get condensation on the cheesecake, dab it off with a paper towel before topping and serving.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Posts about the Great American Baking Show
Read about my adventures in the Tent!
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Maple Cheesecake Recipe with Pears and Bourbon Maple Sauce
Ingredients
For the Poached Pears
- 2 to 3 pears Bartlett or Bosc preferred, peeled and cored
- 480 mL water
- 400 grams granulated sugar
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger root peeled and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Bourbon Maple Sauce
- 240 mL real maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 60 mL heavy cream
- Ā¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Ā½ to 1 tablespoon bourbon to taste
For the Crust
- 170 grams gingersnap crumbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 70 grams butter, at room temperature
For the Cheesecake Batter
- 680 grams blocks cream cheese, full fat, at room temperature
- 125 grams granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 125 grams sour cream, at room temperature
- 80 mL real maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- The poached pears and ginger save about ā of the pears for the topping
Instructions
Poach the Pears and Ginger
- In a medium saucepan, heat the water and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Add the peeled and cored pears, the peeled and chopped ginger root, and cinnamon.
- Simmer until the pears are soft, about 8 minutes. Remove from the water and set aside to cool completely.
Make the Bourbon Maple Sauce
- Simmer the maple syrup in a saucepan until it reaches 230 to 235 degrees F. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the heavy cream, butter, salt, vanilla, and bourbon. (The bourbon is optional but delicious!)
- Pour the sauce into a heatproof container and refrigerate until needed. Do not tighten a lid onto the container while the sauce is still hot!
Make the Gingersnap Crust
- Place the gingersnap cookies in a food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs. If you don't have a food processor, place the cookies in a large ziploc bag, seal, and roll and smash with a rolling pin until the cookies are fine crumbs.
- Add the sugars to the gingersnap crumbs and mix well. Add the melted butter and mix until completely combined.
- Spray a springform pan well on the bottom and the sides. Pour the gingersnap mixture into the pan, and press it in with your hand or a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup.
- Chill the crust until firm, about 10 minutes in the freezer will do it!
- Bake at 375F for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
Make the Cheesecake
- With a stand mixer or a handheld mixer, mix the cream cheese on med-low until completely smooth. Do not mix on high as this will create air pockets in your cheesecake.
- Once the cream cheese is smooth, add the sugar and flour and mix until combined.
- Turn off the mixer, add the sour cream, and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix again on medium-low until smooth and combined.
- With the mixer on medium-low, add the maple syrup and vanilla. Then add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each egg is incorporated.
- Scrape down the bowl one more time and mix on low until smooth.
Assemble
- Finely dice the ginger root and cut the pears into bite-sized pieces. Keep about ā of the pears and ginger aside to top the cheesecake. Place the other ā of the pears and ginger in the cooled gingersnap crust. Spread them out into an even layer.
- Pour the cheesecake filling over the pears. Run a knife through the filling to pop any air bubbles.
- Bake the cheesecake at 325 F for one hour. Turn the oven off and crack the door open (I use a wooden spoon to wedge it open). Let the cheesecake cool for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, run a knife or offset spatula around the edge to release the cheesecake from the sides of the pan. Leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door wedged open for another 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, release the springform sides, and chill completely at room temperature. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
To Serve
- Slice the cheesecake, top with some of the reserved pears and ginger, and drizzle with Maple Bourbon Sauce. Enjoy!
Chelsea Flatley says
Am I crazy or is this missing instructions? Would love to make this year for the holidays but I do need my hand held beyond the ingredients list š
Michelle says
Amazing flavors!!