I get notes from companies all the time with their latest kitchen tools and innovations designed to make our baking and cooking effortless and enjoyable. But rarely do I get a new product to try that is the result of a home baker, putting their mind to a problem, and then taking their solution to market. This brings us to Cheryl O’Reilly.
Now let’s go back to the heart of the problem, water bath baking. Think cheesecakes. If you’ve ever ventured down the cheesecake baking bath you know that the key to a great cheesecake that doesn’t crack is an adequate water bath (the process of setting your baking dish, inside a larger baking dish filled with boiling water). Here lies the conundrum. You make cheesecakes in a springform pan (usually) and the springform pan has a removable bottom that leaves a gap that’s small enough not to let your graham cracker crust fall through during baking but just large enough that water can seep in from your water bath ruining your crust.
To solve this, most suggest wrapping the bottom with aluminum foil, but here’s the challenge with that. Aluminum foil is delicate, can tear, and often isn’t large enough without doing two sheets side by side, with an intricate fold that is intended to seal out the water. Well, it’s all great in theory but I can attest it often fails and we’ve been forced to live with it.
What Cheryl has created is likely to change water bath baking forever. Her invention is a silicon wrap that fits nicely around a standard 9-inch springform pan (typical for cheesecakes) giving you a completely sealed, ovenproof wrap that ensures no water will leak into the pan. Brilliant! What I like most is the simplicity of it – it doesn’t require any special pans (although you can purchase her entire kit which includes the wrap, springform pan, and water bath pan). You can easily use what you already have and just make the process better with the use of this product. The Easy Bath Cheesecake Wrap (as Cheryl has named it) also comes with a handy water fill indicator line so you know you always have the right amount of water for a perfect cheesecake.
After years of fussing with cheesecake waterproofing, I’m glad we now have a product we can rely on to make baking a cheesecake easier. It’s a dessert we all love, and now with this invention, we’ll be able to enjoy it far more often without the headaches.
Thanks, Cheryl!
Now if this has given you an urge to whip up some delicious cheesecakes, check out our recent Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake for inspiration. We think you’ll love it.