Wednesday, April 20, 2011

The Trouble with Cheesecakes...


Since we are on the topic of Cheesecakes (one of my favorite things to bake) here are some of the pitfalls that go along with the making of a “perfect “cheesecake.

Cracking on the surface – This is caused either by over beating the batter or over baking which causes too much moisture to be lost as the cheesecake bakes.

To prevent cracks:

– Only beat the ingredients at low speed, so not to incorporate a lot of air into the batter; and just beat until smooth.

-Bake only until firm – the cheesecake should still wobble a bit when the pan is shaken and the middle should still look a little wet.  Once it cools the cheesecake will firm up and be the correct consistency.

If all else fails – just add a fruit topping to cover up the crack – who is to know – it will still taste great.

Cheesecakes should not made be eaten right after baking – they need to cool completely and be refrigerated for several hours or overnight, so the flavors blend and the texture becomes nice and firm.

To freeze a cheesecake – place a cooled cheesecake on a baking pan and freeze uncovered until firm.  Remove the cheesecake from the freezer and wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil and place in a freezer bag.  Seal and return to freezer.  It can be frozen for several months.

Thaw the uncovered cheesecake in the refrigerator overnight.



Good Luck!




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