I'm no expert, but I suspect it has something to do with your baking it with Convection instead of regular bake.

Bonnie

When using the convection feature on your oven you need to reduce the temperature by at least 25°F and also reduce the baking time.

Cheesecakes crack because they are overcooked - your high convection temperature probably contributed to that. The next tip - put the baked cheesecakes in the refrigerator overnight before serving. If you tested your cheesecakes before they were completely chilled, the consistancy won't be creamy.

-Grainlady

I'm confused about the Mini cheesecake pan you bought. When I make these I use a standard cup cake pan using the paper liners. I reviewed the same recipe on Dec.25, 2008.
I made hundreds for a benefit and the cakes were the first dessert to vanish from the table.
I did bake 8 minutes longer than recommended. I didn't use the wafers. I made graham cracker crumbs and used 1 teas. per cake. You could also crush the wafers and add 1 teas. to each liner. Using the whole wafer, seemed a bit too much bottom.
When cool, the cakes have an indent on top. Good for holding the topping.

I suggest your cakes were baked too hot and not long enough and that you filled the pans too full.
I would reduce the sugar a little in your recipe, but outside of that it sounds fine to me.
Try again, don't fill the tins so full, use regular bake and allow to cook before tasting.
Also just what do you mean by a mini cheese cake pan? Those mini muffin tins?
I have made lots and lots of mini cheese cakes in those mini muffin tins, using the recipe you posted but with only 2/3 cup of sugar....they turned out fine!

How does the size of the mini-cheesecake pan compare to the size of a standard cupcake pan? If they're larger, you need to adjust the cooking time and temp appropriately. Usually, you would lower the oven temp, and cook longer.

Always keep in mind, with ANY recipe the temp and time given are just estimates. You still need to know how to adapt the recipe to your own conditions--different ovens cook differently, altitude, humidity, different brands of ingredients can all affect the results of pretty much any recipe, so you need to be able to make the necessary changes as you go. To be honest, I find most recipes tend to underestimate the cooking time--no matter what oven I use, I almost always have to add a few more minutes than called for, for the item to be properly cooked.

I'd strongly recommend, if the cheesecakes really weren't done in the center, that you NOT EAT THEM, and definitely not serve to anyone who is very young, very old or who may have a compromised immune system. Raw/undercooked eggs run the risk of having salmonella, and freezing the mixture is NOT going to kill the bacteria--just puts them in suspended animation (freezing is how labs preserve bacteria for future use). Don't take any chances with your family's health.

Lindac, Thanks. I think you nailed it!!

This is mini cheesecake pan

Not sure if I should have used a water bath but I will try again and drop the temp a lot.

azzalea, I poppped them back in the oven for another 10 min so they were definitely cooked through.

I did dip them in chocolate and one of my guests was kind enough to say they were the best dessert he has ever eaten and I should definitely save the recipe. HE got lucky and got all the left overs to take home :)

I don't see how you could use a water bath with those removable bottoms.

Nope, neither could I, but someone on the amazon reviews posted it so I thought I'd lay it out and see what comments came back. The crust would be pretty soggy IMO

So the 'left out' cream cheese worked just fine. I made a Pear Tart - Wheat-Free AND Sugar-Free (used Agave Syrup). My 'special diet' friends loved it.

Next time I will use a springform pan - it will be a lot prettier.

Bonnie

Oh my!! That's probably not good!!
And I haven't eaten yet.......
Are those canned pears? Where did you find pears this time of the year....

Back to the mini cheese cakes....looks to me like mini muffin pans with a removeable bottom.
Forget the bain mari, I just butter the pans well and fill with either cookie crumbs or ground nuts or a mixture of both, dump out the excess crumbs and fill 2/3 full of batter....bake at 325 until lightly browned ( about 14 minutes....test one to see)....cool, dump out of the tins and repeat.
Knowing what I do now vs the last time I made these....Iw ould thnik putting the tins on a heated bakigns tone might be good.
Pear tart...eh???
Where do you live????
Linda C

I eat raw eggs all the time. It seems like most serious cooks do. I do buy eggs from a farm- where I can see that the chickens are healthy- and I refrigerate the eggs- but I can't imagine not using them. I do agree with the good advice about not giving them to fragile people, and letting other people choose for themselves.

Loves2: & Foodona
You don't have to use a water bath.
but if you do, the bottom of the Pan has to be wrapped in All. Foil,
so the water don't infiltrate the Crust and Batter.

Somehow !!! there always seems the be a leak in the Foil.
You can double it, But why ?
When it can be Baked right on the stone.

Regulate the temperature !

I thought this was discussed a little while back,
Baking on the Stone ???
Lou

When I use a bain marie, I grab a baking 'bag' like the ones for turkeys. I just roll down the top so the pan isn't enclosed. No leaks, and its reusable.