You can’t use a toothpick like you’re baking a cake. A cake is done when the toothpick comes out clean. A cheesecake is done when the center wobbles like a happy jellyfish.
Give the pan a gentle shake. If the edges are set and the middle jiggles just a little, you’re golden. It will continue to set as it cools. Overbaking is the real enemy—that’s when you get dry, dense sadness.
So trust the wobble. It’s not uncooked; it’s shy. Let it finish in the fridge, and it’ll firm up into pure silk.
