To use a vanilla bean, you'll want to scrape out the small seeds inside. Using a small knife, split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, trying not to cut all the way through. Once opened, use your knife to scrape out all the black "flecks" inside. Those are the seeds. Add the seeds to the cheesecake batter and mix them throughout. Make sure to reserve the empty pods, as they are still highly valuable for creating homemade flavored syrups, extracts, and sugars!