Jiggle test
The jiggle test checks if a custard, cheesecake or pie is baked by gently shaking it. The edges should be set while the center wobbles slightly.
Also called Wobble test, Jiggle, Slight wobble.
The jiggle test is a way to tell whether a baked custard is done. You gently nudge the pan and watch how the filling moves. Cheesecake, baked custard, crème brûlée, flan, pumpkin pie and quiche are judged this way. A toothpick test does not work for these, because a creamy filling always leaves something on the pick.
How to do it
- Wear oven mitts. Pull the oven rack out a little, or lift the pan carefully.
- Tap the side of the pan, or give it a short, gentle shake side to side.
- Watch the surface of the filling as it moves.
- If it is not ready, close the oven and check again in 5 minutes.
How to tell it is done
- Done: the outer part of the filling is set and moves as one piece with the pan. Only the center, about 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 inches) across for a cheesecake, wobbles like set gelatin. The wobble is a smooth, slow jiggle, with no waves.
- Not done: the filling ripples in waves or sloshes, the center looks liquid or glossy and wet, or the jiggling area is much wider than the center.
- Overdone: nothing moves at all, the edges puff up and crack, or the top shows cracks.
For more certainty, use a thermometer in the center. Cheesecake is usually done at about 65 to 71°C (150 to 160°F), baked custards such as crème brûlée and flan at about 77 to 80°C (170 to 175°F), and quiche at about 71°C (160°F).
Why it works
Egg proteins set as they heat, starting at the edges, which heat first. When the center still has a slight wobble, it is only a few degrees from set. Carryover cooking and cooling finish the job. Waiting until the middle stops moving means the edges overcook, curdle and crack.
Common mistakes
- Shaking too hard. Everything moves, and you cannot judge it.
- Waiting for a firm center. The custard will be rubbery or cracked when it cools.
- Opening the oven often. Each opening lets heat out and adds time.
- Cooling too fast. Turn off the oven and leave a cheesecake inside with the door ajar for about an hour, to avoid cracks.
In recipes
"Bake until set at the edges but still slightly wobbly in the center" is the jiggle test in words. "Bake until just set" means the same.
Related terms
- SetIn recipes, set means a liquid has firmed into a solid that holds its shape, as with custard, jam, jelly, eggs and chocolate. Here is how to check it.
- Carryover cookingCarryover cooking is the rise in temperature inside meat after it leaves the heat. A big roast can climb 3 to 8°C (5 to 15°F), so take it out early.
- Toothpick testThe toothpick test checks if a cake is baked by pushing a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, it is done.
- Bain-marieA bain-marie is a hot water bath that cooks or melts food gently, such as custards, cheesecakes and chocolate. Here is how to set one up.
- Internal temperatureInternal temperature is the heat at the center of food, read with a probe thermometer. It is the surest way to know meat, fish and bread are done and safe.