Preheat oven to 350.

To make two cheesecakes, prepare 2 8-inch high, round cake pans. To make one, use 10.5-inch round springform pan. If you don’t have a springform pan, you can grease pan then crumple wet parchment paper and press into pan, making sure to fit into the pan(s).

Press crust on bottom and up sides of the pan. You can use the bottom of a cup to press it down.

Bake for 8-12 minutes, depending on size of pan.

Lower oven to 250 degrees.

Beat cream cheese and sugar until no lumps remain, but don’t overbeat because that causes cracks.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing between each egg until fully incorporated. If it’s too liquid, add flour, mixing gently but making sure it’s incorporated.

Depending on your choice, fold chopped candy or oreos into batter. If you are making caramel or marble cheesecake, remove 1/2 cup batter and mix with the melted caramel cream or chocolate. Marbleize (white batter, dollops of caramel, use knife to marbleize) or “zebra” it (pour a circle of white batter into pan, pour circle of chocolate batter on top of it, then keep alternating between white and chocolate circles until no more batter).

Bake for 1.5 hours, in a water bath.

Turn off oven WITHOUT OPENING door. Leave in oven for a few hours or overnight. Top when cool.