Baking – use amaretti cookies in a cheesecake crust

To make a good baked cheesecake, I was taught the following, and it has ALWAYS worked:

• Start with room temperature ingredients.
• DO NOT over-mix. This is a significant cause of cracking, as the incorporated air tends to souffle.
• When baking, always bake in a bain-marie (put your cake into a water bath for insulation).
• Bake half an hour at 300° F / 150° C. Then, turn off the oven, open the oven door, and rest for 30 minutes. Then, close the oven and bake 30 to 40 minutes more at 300° F / 150° C.

My first pastry chef taught me this, and it always works.

Also, over-baking will definitely lead to cracking (due to the loss of moisture), and, as stated, over-mixing will as well.

They are technically two different pastries. Shortcrust pastry made with water is called pâte a foncer, 'lining pastry'. Shortcrust pastry made with milk is called pâte brisée. Pâte brisée typically contains a bit more butter, and is generally lighter and flakier than pâte a foncer, which is conversely crisper and firmer.

So it's up to you really; both are very similar. The pâte brisée is more delicate, so if you have a 'heavy' filling, say, lots of fruits, it might be better to go with the foncer.