How long now have I been making cheesecake? I started when my husband left for boot camp in 2007. Three long years full of cracked cheesecakes, soft cheesecakes, and every other time the perfect cake.
It's taken me three years to learn a few things about Cheesecakes.
BAKING
1. Do not overbake. I overbaked my cheesecakes for two years and 364 days before I realized that the cheesecakes are to still jiggle in the center but be set on the edges when you turn off the oven. If you over bake the cheesecake it will not be as creamy/smooth as it could be.
2. Speaking of oven, let the cheesecake cool completely in the oven. I've tried leaving them in there for twenty minutes, cool on the counter, and then in the fridge. It just doesn't do the trick. When the cheesecake is set but jiggly, turn off the oven and fan the oven door for a minute to get the heat out. Shut the door and let the cake cool/finish baking. Take it out and cool it in the fridge at that point.
3. A great cheesecake needs to be eaten a day after it's cooled completely. This will allow the flavors to settle in and become rich.
4. Don't cook the cake on too high of a temperature. It might crack. A cracked cake is easy to fix if you want to put chocolate/strawberries in sauce/other goodies on top, but if you want to serve a lovely vanilla bean cheesecake plain, watch your cake carefully. Cracks are caused also by no moisture in the oven (spritz oven with water bottle or cook cheesecake on the rack above a pan of water).
PREP
5. Let cream cheese become room temperature. This is a MUST in cheesecakery. I was in a hurry a few years back to make a cheesecake and did not let my cream cheese become room temp. The cheesecake was not only hard to mix but it also came out clumpy and not smooth and creamy.
6. In fact, let eggs and butter come to room temperature as well. This makes it easier to incorporate into the recipe. I promise.
7. When mixing ingredients in the mixer, have a spatula handy at all times. Scrape down the sides of the bowl constantly. This will prevent uneven mixture and will make for a smoother cheesecake.
8. Use parchment paper to line the bottom of the springform pan. You can buy parchment rounds to fit perfectly in the bottom of the pan or you can be cheap (like me!) and just rip off a piece big enough to fit the bottom. Clamp the outer ring around the parchment on top of the springform bottom. Trim the paper so it won't be too crazy much.
STORAGE
9. After cooling completely, I recommend freezing the cheesecake at this point. If the cake is frozen, you won't feel so bad about handling the cheesecake roughly and you also won't fear denting the cake. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap tightly a few times to make sure no air gets in. Wrap then in tin foil as well. Cheesecake experts say that cheesecakes can last for months in the freezer. I have never tried to freeze one and eat it months later...I would fear freezer burn and the water melting on the cake making it watery and ruining the outside layer.
10. Unless you have a plate or tray you can set the cheesecake on, I recommend buying cardboard circles to place the cake on. I use these when I want to give my cakes away or if I want to serve them at a party.
Now. Onto the cheesecakery.
It's been at least two weeks since I've made a cheesecake (Yikes).
I've experimented with many recipes. I've tried recipes that call for 5 eggs and ones that call for 2 eggs. I've also tried recipes calling for sweetened condensed milk and ones calling for lemon. I've been using the same cheesecake recipe now for the past year and a half. It hasn't failed me. Please forgive me as I won't be giving you my original recipe (It's a secret!) but one very similar to it. Of course I add in a few special ingredients...including LOVE!
Tonight, I tried a new type of crust for my cake.
Cookie Dough Crust
1/3 C butter
1/3 C sugar
1 1/2 C flour
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
Mix all ingredients well to form a bowl of crumbles. It will be a bit crumbly; it will come together as you press it together. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan lined with parchment paper.
Vanilla Cheesecake
2 lbs (4 pkgs) cream cheese, soft
1 C sugar
4 lg eggs
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 C heavy cream
Cream the cheese and the sugar slowly together. Add in eggs one at a time. Don't forget to scrape the sides of the bowl!! Add vanilla in slowly (if you have vanilla beans, use them instead!). Add the heavy cream slowly to incorporate. Scrape the bowl! Don't over beat it but beat it until just mixed.
Pour batter over crust and bake at 350F for between 35-55 minutes. I realize this is a really rough time estimate. Watch your cake. Use your oven light and watch it after 30 minutes to see if it is puffing up around the edge a tad or not. I would not recommend opening the oven until after 30 minutes or longer. Opening it and releasing hot air/letting cool air in might jar the batter and make it sink or crack. Still, to check for doneness, shake the pan gently. If it is set on the outside but a tad jiggly in the center, it is done. Turn the oven off after opening the oven door for a minute to release the blunt force of the heat! Let the cake cool completely in the oven...could take hours.
Refrigerate when done!
Tonight, I wanted to experiment with strawberry cheesecake while still being able to create a good cheesecake if the strawberry one failed. I used two 8 inch pans. The cooking time was considerably less (25-35 minutes).
Here's a simple recipe for strawberry sauce.
Strawberry Sauce
1 pkg fresh strawberries (1 frozen container will work)
Sugar
De-stem, clean, and cut strawberries into smaller chunks. Place in a saucepan and sprinkle about 4 tbsp sugar over the top. Let this cook on low heat for a while (4-5 minutes) until it thickens and starts bubbling up a bit. Test a bit with a clean spoon to see if it is sweet enough for your liking. Add more sugar if you want it really sweet. If you are brave, try different extracts or fruits in the sauce. I bet a strawberry pear or a strawberry watermelon sauce would be very delicious.
Cool the sauce.
If placing in cheesecake, pour sauce onto cheesecake and swirl sauce into cake with a knife for a marbled effect. Bake as usual.
Baking cheesecakes does not have to be difficult! Just pay attention while mixing and baking. A homemade baked cheesecake tastes ten thousand times better than a Jello cheesecake powdered mix.
On the restaurant home front, we are finished painting and are cleaning up right now. We are also finishing up gathering tools (a fryer, a charbroiler, pots and pans) and supplies needed for the big opening day (which will be soon!).
If you are in the Colorado Springs Area within the next month, come visit The Setting Sun Foods Company and try my cheesecake!
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