If you cut into the cheesecake before chilling, it will have a firm custardy texture, like flan, and you will think that you've done something terribly wrong. But after chilling, it will have transformed into that velvety, creamy, lush cheesecake that we all know and love. It's like magic.

--Don't sweat these 4 things.

There are a few moments in this process when you may think that all is lost. I want to set your mind at ease.

Tiny bits of cream cheese in the batter: Sometimes you get some little specks of cream cheese in the batter that won't go away -- either because your cream cheese was still a bit chilly or because of the cream cheese itself (cream cheese with fewer additives tends to incorporate less easily into the batter, surprisingly). You don't want large lumps, but these tiny speckles are fine. They will melt into the cheesecake as it bakes and won't affect the finished cake.

A few cracks: Yes, sometimes you'll get cracks in your cheesecake. It happens -- usually if you accidentally cooked the cheesecake a little too long or cooled it too quickly. But a few cracks don't mean you failed or that your cheesecake is ruined. Just cover it with topping and carry on.

A little water in the pan: Oh, no! Did a little water work its way through the foil and leak into your pan? Don't worry about it. The outside edge of your crust will look a bit soggy at first, but it will set up in the fridge overnight with none the wiser. Promise.

Wrong pan size: If you only have a 10-inch pan and you want to make a recipe for a 9-inch cheesecake, it's fine to use the pan you have. Changing the pan size when making cheesecake will affect the height of the cheesecake and its cooking time (thinner cheesecakes will cook a bit more quickly), but not its flavor or texture.

--Go forth to cheesecake bliss

You are now armed with the knowledge you need to make the best cheesecake ever. Use the recipe below, or just apply these steps and techniques to your next cheesecake -- either way, cheesecake bliss awaits.

Cheesecake

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