Bake for 45 minutes. The cheesecake should be set at this point- it may jiggle slightly.
Turn off the oven and leave cheesecake inside for 30 more minutes with the oven door slightly open. (This helps the cake to cool without cracking.)
Cheesecake baking over a sheet cake pan partially filled with water
Then, allow the cheesecake to cool on the countertop.
Then, place foil on the pan and chill in the freezer for 2-3 hours. If you are not in a hurry, you can refrigerate the cake for 5-6 hours or overnight.
