Springform pan

A springform pan is a round cake pan in two parts: a flat base and a ring-shaped side with a clamp. When the clamp is closed, the ring tightens around the base. When you open it, the ring springs loose and lifts away, leaving the cake on the base. It is used for cakes you cannot turn upside down, such as cheesecake, mousse cakes, tortes and deep-dish quiches. The most common size is 23 cm (9 in).

How to use it

1. Close the clamp with the base locked in its groove. Many bases have a raised lip that should face down, so the cake slides off more easily.
2. Grease the side and base, and line the base with parchment paper. A neat trick is to lay the paper over the base and clamp the ring on top of it.
3. For a water bath, wrap the outside in two or three layers of wide, heavy-duty foil, or set the pan inside a slightly larger cake pan. Springform pans are not watertight.
4. Bake. A cheesecake is done when the edges are set and the center still wobbles a little. This is the jiggle test.
5. Run a thin knife around the edge before you open the clamp, so the cake does not stick to the ring and crack.
6. Open the clamp slowly and lift the ring up and off.

Substitutes

A regular cake pan lined with a parchment sling for lifting, a deep tart pan with a removable base for shallow cakes, or a cake ring set on a lined baking sheet.

Common mistakes

• Putting it in a bain-marie without foil or an outer pan. Water seeps in and the crust goes soggy.
• Releasing the clamp while the cheesecake is still hot. It is too soft and can slump or crack. Cool it first, often overnight in the fridge.
• Pouring thin batters into an old pan with a loose seal. They leak. Set the pan on a tray.
• Cutting on the metal base, which scratches it and dulls your knife.

In recipes

"9-inch springform" means a 23 cm pan. A 24 cm or 26 cm springform, common in Europe, gives a slightly thinner cake that bakes a little faster.