For AZDemDist6 - Cheesecake tips

[housewolf]

Cheesecake is really pretty easy and always delicious, but there are a few things that will help make a really teriffic one.

1. Combine the crust ingredients, put into a springform pan and bake (if recipe calls for a pre-baked crust)

2. Start with room-temperature ingredients (cream cheese & eggs) to eliminate lumps and make a smooth, creamy batter.

3. Start by beating the room-temp cream cheese very well until it is smooth and all lumps have disappeared

4. Add the sugar and beat on med-high or high speed for about 3 minutes to thoroughly incorporate

5. Add the eggs 1 at a time and beat on slow speed until it's well incorporated

6. Clean off your paddle/beaters several times so that all the mixture is incorporated and smooth

7. Add in flavorings and optional ingredients such as cream, sour cream, flour, fruit, etc. and stir just in lightly, pour into the springform pan & bake

8. When you take the cheesecake out of the over, immediately loosen by running a thin knife around the outside edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan. Cool for about an hour and then refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours before slicing.

Most important #1 - Keep your egg-beating to a minimum; beat just enough to incorporate the eggs. Over-beating the mixture after the eggs have been added makes the cheesecake more dry & causes it to crack.

Most important #2 - Don't over-bake the cheesecake. It's done when the top is slightly puffy and set except for a small area in the center that should still appear soft and jiggly (about the size of a silver dollar). This will set upon cooling. Over-baking is the main cause of a cheesecake cracking.

Other tips:
- Many people like to bake their cheesecakes in a water bath (bain marie). Cheesecake is basically a big custard and and baking in water bath helps prevent the outer area from over-cooking while waiting for the center to cook. With a springform pan, wrap the outside of the pan in 1 or 2 layers of heavy-duty foil before pouring the mixture into the pan. Place the filled pan in a roaster and pour in enough boiling water to come up to about half the height of the springform pan. An alternative method is to place the cheesecake on the bottom-middle rack and below it, on the bottom rack, place a pan of hot/boiling water (this method does not require wrapping the springform pan in foil).

- Some cheesecake recipes contain flour or cornstarch. Those that do are slightly dry and slightly crumbly (rather than creamy & smooth). Those recipes that do not contain a starch are more creamy and smooth than those that do.

- Some cheesecakes have only a bottom crust while others have both a bottom crust and sides. Some recipes have you press crumbs onto the sides of the cheesecake after it is baked.

- While exploring cheesecake recipes, you'll find a variety of time/temperatures. Often a recipe labelled "New York Cheesecake" is baked at a higher temperature (350F-375F or so) (or sometimes started at a high temperature and then lowered after a few minutes) and is often baked to a golden brown.

- A "creamy" style cheesecake is very smooth and creamy, does not contain flour or corn starch and is baked at a low temperature (300F), either in a bain marie or above a pan of hot water, and is baked just until set.

- Some people like to let the cheesecake cool in the oven. Turn the oven off then leave the oven door cracked open and let the cheesecake cool for an hour or so before refrigerating. Some say this helps keep the cheesecake from cracking.

- The biggest problem people have with cheesecakes is cracking. This can be caused by over-baking or over-beating the eggs. Loosening the cheesecake from the sides of the pan immediately after taking it out of the oven can help avoid cracking. Baking in a bain marie and/or at a low temperature helps avoid cracking. The good news is that cracking doesn't affect the taste of a cheesecake - it will still be delicious. Sometimes the cracks can be covered up with a topping.


Enjoy! There's NOTHING better than cheesecake! There are literally tens of thousands of cheesecake recipes out there on the 'net just waiting for you.


http://img.foodnetwork.com.nyud.net:8090/FOOD/2004/01/23/ss1d07_rasberry_cheesecake_e.jpg
White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_23017,00.html) :applause:


http://img.foodnetwork.com.nyud.net:8090/FOOD/2007/12/21/eatingwell_recipe_3069_e.jpg
Lower-Fat Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/lf_hl_eatingwell/recipe/0,,FOOD_30878_100435,00.html) :applause:


http://img.foodnetwork.com.nyud.net:8090/FOOD/2006/05/15/ek0103_ricottacheesecake-3_e.jpg
Ricotta Cheesecake w/ Fresh Raspberries (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_33479,00.html) :applause:


http://img.foodnetwork.com.nyud.net:8090/FOOD/2003/11/18/tu1a12_ultimate_cheesecake_e.jpg
Tyler's Ultimate Cheesecake (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_23173,00.html) :applause:


http://img.foodnetwork.com.nyud.net:8090/FOOD/2003/11/12/ee2c01_blue_cheese_cheesecake_e.jpg
Emeril's Blue Cheese Cheesecake (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_20789,00.html) :applause:



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[hippywife]

1. OMG!

A bleu cheese cheesecake. Am I in trouble now! LOL This savory one that grasswire posted was totally awesome and I can't wait for another big occasion to make it again! http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=236&topic_id=38398

The one I posted the other day does contain a very little bit of flour but is still very creamy. It starts out at a higher temp and then calls for lowering it for most of the baking time. I haven't used a bain marie but so far, not a single crack!



All of those pics you posted look fabulous and inspiring. Thanx for all the work, housewolf! :hi: :hug:

[housewolf]

4. You're welcome!

The varieties of cheesecakes to choose from is just astounding. I'm like a kid in a candy shop when it comes to them - I just :loveya: the stuff! Sadly, I have little opportunity these days to make any. My stock-in-trade was Vanilla, Cherry Vanilla, Best-Ever Deep Chocolate Truffle, Chocolate Orange Swirl, Chocolate Raspberry, White Chocolate Raspberry, Caramel Apple, Caramel Apple Praline, Caramel Chocolate - oh! and Pumpkin! People really went wild over that Pumpkin Cheesecake during the holidays! :rofl:

The one you made was gorgeous and I'll bet it was fabulous too. Congrats on no cracks, you're doing everything "right"! Hope you have another chance to make one again soon!

:yourock:

[hippywife]

7. Did you say

Chocolate Orange Swirl? I love the taste of orange or raspberry with chocolate! I'm thinking it will be awhile before I make another. Two back to back was really pushing it!

That's quite the repertoire, lady! Awesome!

:yourock: way more than I do!

[housewolf]

8. Chocolate Orange Swirl Cheesecake

Chocolate Orange Swirl Cheesecake

An exquisite blend of chocolate and orange.

Prep time: 30 min. Cooking time: 1 hour 12 servings

CRUST
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
l/3 cup butter, melted

FILLING
3 (8 oz.) pkgs. Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese, softened 1 cup sugar
5 eggs
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur or orange juice
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted, slightly cooled

Heat oven to 325°F.

CRUST
Mix crumbs, sugar and butter; press onto bottom and 1 1/2 - inches up sides of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes.

FILLING
Beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing at low speed after each addition, just until blended. Blend in liqueur and peel.

Reserve 2 cups of the batter. Pour remaining cream cheese batter over crust. Blend chocolate into reserved batter. Add spoonfuls of the chocolate batter to the cream cheese batter. Cut through batters with knife several times for marble effect.

Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

[housewolf]

9. Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake


A chocolate raspberry cheesecake covered with a decadent chocolate coating.

Prep time: 30 min. Cooking time: 1 hour 20 min. 12 servings

CRUST
1 1/2 cups finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
2 tablespoons butter, melted

FILLING
4 (8 oz.) pkgs. Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese, softened, divided
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted, slightly cooled
1/3 cup strained red raspberry preserves

TOPPING
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup whipping cream

Heat oven to 325°F.

CRUST
Mix crumbs and melted butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

FILLING
Beat 3 packages of the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing at low speed after each addition, just until blended. Blend in sour cream; pour over crust.

Beat remaining cream cheese and 6 ounces melted chocolate at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended. Add preserves; mix well. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of chocolate/raspberry mixture over plain cream cheese mixture; do not swirl.

Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan.

TOPPING
Melt remaining chocolate and whipping cream over low heat, stirring until smooth. Spread over cooled cheesecake.

Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with Whipped Topping, raspberries and mint leaves.

[hippywife]

10. Bless your little heart! LOL

Those sound fabulous! Thank you so much! I'm not showing these to DH for awhile. Even tho we agreed I wouldn't make another one this weekend, these would tip him over the edge! :rofl:

I do have a question for you, tho. When I bake one, I always leave it on the pan bottom because I'm afraid to wreck it by trying to take it off, even after it's been in the fridge. If I want to make one to give or sell, what's the best way of getting it off the pan bottom without problems, oh Cheesecake Queen?

Oh, and a very good Saturday morning to ya! :hi:

[housewolf]

12. "Cake Rounds"

I use cardboard cake rounds. They're available at cake decorating shops or some craft stores like Michaels (more expensive there). Buy ones that are the same size as your springform pan or slightly larger and buy at least one more than you need. I used to get pink bakery pie boxes at the cake decorating store too - I think they were 10" square by 3" high and the perfect height for cheesecake (unlike regular cake boxes that are taller).

To make the bottom easier to remove, I'd put a layer of aluminum foil on the bottom before putting the crust in. You could cut it to fit but I always just sort of roughly curled it under the edge and snapped the sides on around it.

Then after the cheesecake is baked and refrigerated (it has to be completely chilled for this to work), remove the sides of the springform. place a piece of waxed paper on the top of the cheesecake. Place one of the cake rounds on top of waxed paper and flip the cheesecake over so that it's sitting upside down on top of the cake round.

Then remove the bottom of the springform pan (this is where the foil helps out (it helps keep your crust intact so that it doesn't stick to the bottom). If you're going to do something like cover the whole cheesecake with ganache or glaze, place 3 strips of waxed paper on top of the crust with the edges extending beyond the crust (to catch any excess and minimize the mess).

Place another cardboard round on the crust and flip the cheesecake over again (if you have a flat plate you could use that in place of a cake round).

Now it's sitting upright on on a cardboard round. Remove the cardboard round from the top and gently remove the the waxed paper. (It might stick a tiny bit. The faster you get it from upside-down to right-side-up, the less sticking there'll be).

Now you can decorate the cheesecake however you wish. If you covered the whole cheesecake with ganache, leave the strips of waxed paper in place and refrigerate until the topping is set. Then you can remove the strips (you might need a knife to trim run-over ganache at the bottom from the edge of the cake). You should be able to easily pull the strips out from under the cake.

Anyway, that's what I did. Some others here might have some others ideas to share with you, too.



:donut:

[hippywife]

13. I kinda figured

that's what it was gonna take. I was hoping that there was some way to do it without the gymnastics. That is all really good info. Thanx for taking the time to spell it out in such detail. It's really appreciated. :hug:

[housewolf]

15. You could try...

using an offset spatula or something and getting underneath the bottom crust to loosen it from the pan, then sliding it onto a cake round or plate. I've never done that, but soomething that that might work. It's a little tricky since the metal springform bottoms have the little edge that fits into the sides. I have a glass-bottomed springform that's completely flat - sliding it off that might work but there's still the issue of the crust sticking a little to the bottom.

It's not that hard to use the two rounds and flip it and once you get the hang of it, it's really pretty easy.

I'd love to hear others' ideas, too.

[hippywife]

16. I'll probably try

your first idea. We have a bake sale at work next week to raise funds to put a couple more automatic doors in so I may make a cheesecake and sell it by the slice. One of the girls made one last year and sold it whole. She had it decorated really fancy but the woman who bought it said it was disappointing. All looks and not very tasty.

I'm so glad you are so willing to share all your knowledge. It means alot! :hug:

[NashVegas]

27. I Use Parchment

Slipped between the parts of a springform pan and trimmed.

[NMDemDist2]

2. you are such a treasure Hwolf, I swear!

:loveya:

what a great bunch of tips and I know I bought a spring pan and stashed it with the old Guardian cookware my grammy had.

I'll have to try it soon.

Hubby says he likes cheesecake if it's the "really light kind"

not sure what that means, but he'll eat what I make :rofl:

[housewolf]

3. Good luck! I know you're gonna love it!

Don't over-bake, that's the most important thing.

If you want, since I'm remembering your diet-tips post, after the cheesecake is baked and refrigerated thoroughly, you could cut it into halves or quarters, keep one out to eat and freeze the other(s). Cheesecake freezes well. Wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil. Good way to exercise "portion control". :rofl:


:donut:

[NMDemDist2]

5. I fear "White Chocolate Raspberry" will be my undoing

we had a Claim Jumpers a few blocks away in PHX and I'd send Mr. K to get me that to go

:hide:

[housewolf]

6. Oh YEAH!

And if you add a little Framboise or Chambord... Oh My Goodness!!!

Talk about being in heaven... O8) O8) O8)


Enjoy! and have fun!

[NMDemDist2]

11. no liquor toppings for me thanks!

but I printed out the Philly Cheese basic recipe and I'm picking the stuff up today at the store.

I may buy some strawberry glaze if it's available, or maybe just whipped topping

we'll see what's available

thanks for all the hints! and my 9" springform pan was right where I thought it was so I'm set to try

:bounce:

[hippywife]

14. How much cream cheese is in it?

If it's this recipe, you're gonna cheat yourself with lots of calories but a so-so cheesecake.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/4110/strawberry-cream-cheese-cheesecake.html

[NMDemDist2]

17. 4-8oz packages but we're not putting any toppings on it. I asked Mr. K

what did he want with the cheese cake and his answer was "A fork, please"

:evilgrin:

[hippywife]

18. Sounds like it's probably

a good one, then. And I'm with Mr. K...just gimme a fork! Hope you guys enjoy it!

[hippywife]

19. Well....

I'm wondering if she made any.

[NMDemDist2]

20. too hot today and I kinda took a kitchen day off

tomorrow probably

:hi:

[NMDemDist2]

21. OMG that was so easy and so good!!! I did the "Classic" just as described below and it was GREAT

The crust came right off my springform pan in spite of my worries. I really thought those diamond shaped divots would make it weird, but it worked wonderfully!! Next stop, NT style sour with sour cream topping :bounce:



1-1/2 cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs

PREHEAT oven to 325°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 300°F if using a dark nonstick springform pan). Mix crumbs, 3 Tbsp. sugar and butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan.

BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.

BAKE 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Loosen cake from side of pan; cool before removing side of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

[hippywife]

22. We've created a monster!

:rofl:

Glad it turned out so well for you!

[NMDemDist2]

23. yup!! the freezer will soon be full of half rounds of cheesecakes

of all flavors and descriptions

:rofl:

[hippywife]

24. Well, there went that diet plan! LOL

If you can manage to keep it in the freezer and eat just a little now and then, it should be okay.

Oh, and good luck with THAT! :rofl:

[housewolf]

25. Congratulations! I knew you could do it!

OMG, I whole new world to explore!

Have fun!

:yourock:

[NashVegas]

26. Water Bath Tip

I found an old doctor's basic at a garage sale. It's absolutely perfect for water bath use - especially when you start getting into 10-inch pans.

[Tab]

28. Guess what we had for a wedding cake?

We wanted something different, so we had a cheesecake wedding cake. Aside from being gorgeous, it was the most delicious, fluffy, yum yum good cheesecake I've ever had (and I've had a lot). There's a lot involved in making a cheesecake of that size and to get the ultimate in fluffy and flavor. They did a WONDERFUL job. The bakers were really into it, because everyone orders regular cake and they liked the challenge of making a wedding cheesecake.

Damn, it's almost enough to make me get married again. :) (or at least renew our vows)

p.s.: We're still happily married (must have been the magic of that cheesecake)

[Mabus]

29. Yawza! What a find

I just happened to be cruising this forum (after several suggestions on other forums) and found this gem. Bookmarking this and coming back for more.