Wrapping Tin For Chestnut Cheesecake

Our answer

Nigella's Chestnut Cheesecake (from FEAST) is a baked style of cheesecake. The cheesecake is baked in a water bath (bain marie) as this is a very gentle method of cooking that ensures that the cheesecake batter cooks evenly and has a smooth texture. Although the oven is heated to 170°C the heat of the water in the water bath is below 100°C, which means that it is unlikely that the clingfilm will melt or burn.

To prevent water from seeping in while the cheesecake cooks, the outside of the springform pan is wrapped with layers of clingfilm (plastic wrap) and then foil. As the water bath has a very gentle heat then most makes of clingfilm should be suitable and you should not need to buy a special brand. So far we have not encountered any problems with the type of clingfilm used. However, you may need to use 3-4 layers of clingfilm. Lay a piece out and sit the springform on top of it then bring the film up the sides of the pan. Repeat with a second piece, turning the pan 90 degrees before you sit it on the clingflim. Repeat as many times as you need (this time turning the pan by 60 degrees, to make sure that the clingfilm isn't just overlaying the first layer) until a tight seal is formed. Finally do the same with one or two layers of foil, to add extra waterproofing.