Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

How to make a good cheese cake???

0 views
Skip to first unread message

Betty

unread,
Nov 18, 2002, 9:00:11 PM11/18/02
to
I had tried once to make a cheese cake.But I failed.It was not the
same with the usual cheese cake.And it was not delicious.I don't have
any recipes of cheese cake on any of my baking books.So I tried to
make one according to the recipe of blue berry cheese cake.It was much
different from the cheese cake I had bought from cake shop.I really
love cheese cakes,and I want to learn to make one,too.I mean original
cheese cake.Would someone like to help me to find one recipe and give
me some advices???Thank you very much!!!

SCUBApix

unread,
Nov 19, 2002, 9:10:11 AM11/19/02
to
I have been making the recipe from Cook's Illustrated for several years. I
can check when I get home if your interested in which issue. The one recipe
allows you to make 3 different kinds of cheesecake: Rich & Creamy, Light &
Fluffy and I don't recall the name of the third but lets refer to it as
Dense. The ingredients are all the same, just the process and/or baking
differs. I really like the Rich & Creamy version.

From memory, here is the recipe. I'll check at home tonight and if I have
made a mistake, I'll post a correction.

Rich & Creamy version
Crust
1 T unsalted butter
about 4 graham cracker squares (I like honey cinnamin)

Cake
2 lbs cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 C sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanila
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 C heavy cream
1/4 C sour cream

Process
Cover the bottom of a 9 to 10 inch (I generally use a 9 1/2 " pan) round
spring form pan with a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil. Use a piece big
enough so that when the bottom is snapped back into place, there is some
foil left to bring up around the pan. When the pan is back together, take
another piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and wrap it around the outside of
the pan.

Soften the butter and brush it on the inside of the pan, bottom and sides.
Crush the graham crackers to a powder and add to the pan. Roll the pan to
disperse the graham crackers all around, including the sides. Set the pan
aside.

In a mixer with the paddle attached, add the cream cheese and start the
mixer on medium low. Then to medium. Now SLOWLY begin to add the sugar. It
should take about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes to add the sugar. Scrap down the bowl in
the middle of adding the sugar. I also goose it to high early on, once or
twice, to get the cream cheese off the paddle.

Now add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.
Add the zest and vanilla and mix to combine.

Add the cream and sour cream and mix in by hand. Pour batter into prepared
pan. Place pan with batter in a larger pan and place them in a preheated 325
F oven. Pour boiling water in the outside pan half way up the sides of the
pan with the batter. Bake until the center still jiggles but the outside is
set, about 50 minutes. Turn off oven and set a wooden spoon to hold the oven
door open slightly. Leave for 1 hour. At the end of the hour, remove the
cheesecake pan and set on a rack to cool completely. When cool, place
plastic wrap on top touching the cheesecake and place in refrigerator until
serving time. Can be made up to 2 days ahead (maybe more but I have only
tried up to 2 days ahead).

For the Light & Fluffy version, simply separate the eggs and where I say to
add the eggs, add only the yolks. Separately, whip the egg whites to medium
peaks. When the batter is made, fold in the egg whites and proceed as given
above.

I have also made a pumpkin swirl version that has also turned out great.
Good luck.

"Betty" <beibe...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:2f4fa659.02111...@posting.google.com...

Vox Humana

unread,
Nov 19, 2002, 9:31:13 AM11/19/02
to

"Betty" <beibe...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:2f4fa659.02111...@posting.google.com...
------------------------------------------------------------

Here is a recipe that works well for me. It is from the famous Junior's
restaurant in New York and has been voted the best cheese cake in New York
City. The cake has a good texture and a creamy, rich flavor. An added
bonus is that it never cracks. If you don't want to make the sponge layer
either substitute a cookie or crumb crust, or just omit it entirely.

Junior's Cheesecake
Sponge Cake Layer
Preheat oven to 350°
Grease a 9 inch springform pan.

1/2 cup sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
3 eggs, separated
1/3 cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 drops lemon extract
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
Beat egg yolks with an electric mixer on high for 3 minutes. Gradually add
the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and lemon colored - about 5
more minutes. Beat in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
Sift the flour mixture over the beaten egg yolks and stir by hand until well
blended. Then blend in the butter.
In a clean bowl with clean beaters, combine the egg whites and cream of
tarter. Beat until foamy and then gradually add the reserved 2 tablespoons
of sugar. Continue beating until the egg whites form stiff peaks.
Combine about ¼ of the beaten egg whites with the flour mixture and mix
until well combined. Then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
Carefully spread the batter on the bottom of the pan and bake for about 10
minutes or until the cake springs back when pressed with your finger. Set
aside to cool.

Cheesecake Layer (Plain)
4 8oz packages of cream cheese (not low fat)
1 2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat Oven to 350F
Combined one package of cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and the cornstarch in
the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on LOW speed until creamy, about 3
minutes.
Add the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time and beat until smooth.
Increase the speed to high and add the remaining sugar and eggs, one at a
time. Beat thoroughly after each addition.
Stop the mixer and blend in the cream and vanilla by hand.
Pour the batter over the baked cake in the springform pan.
Wrap the bottom of the pan with heavy duty foil. Set the foil lined pan in
another slightly larger pan. Pour enough boiling water into the outer pan
to submerge 1 inch of the springform pan.
Bake for about 1 hour or until the center of the cake barely jiggles when it
is shaken. Let the cake cool in the oven for about an hour with the door
ajar. Let the cake cool for another hour outside the oven on a wire rack.
Slide a knife between the cake and the pan and then release the sides of the
pan. Wrap with plastic film and chill in the refrigerator over night.


Pumpkin Cheesecake
1 recipe of sponge layer
1 recipe cheesecake layer

1 cup solid pack pumpkin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves


Preheat the oven to 350°
Mix the pumpkin with the spices and set aside.
Make the cheesecake as above. Beat in the spiced pumpkin mixture after the
addition of the eggs. Mix in cream and bake as directed above.
Chocolate Marble Cheesecake
1 recipe sponge layer
1 recipe cheesecake
3/4 cup store bought fudge ice cream topping

Preheat the oven to 350F
Prepare cheesecake. Pour half the batter over the sponge layer.
Melt the fudge ice cream topping in a double boiler or microwave. Combine
with the remaining batter. Pour over the plain batter and draw a table
knife through the cake to create a marble patter.
Bake as directed above. Cover the pan with foil after about 45 minutes of
baking to prevent over browning.

Apple Crumb Cheesecake
1 recipe of sponge layer
1 recipe of cheesecake layer

Apple layer
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons all purpose four
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ pounds tart-sweet apples
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Crumb topping
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 teaspoon lemon extracts
1/3 cup sifted confectioner's sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F
For the apples layer, mix the sugars, flour, cornstarch and cinnamon and set
aside
Peel, core, and slice the apples 1/4 inch thick (you will need 4 cups of
apples). Drizzle with the lemon juice and toss with the sugar mixture.
Spread about 2/3 of the apples over the baked sponge layer.
Spread the cheesecake batter over the apples. Starting about 2 inches from
the edge of the pan, push the remaining apples into the batter until they
are almost completely submerged.
Bake as directed above in the water bath for about 1 1/4 hours or until the
center barely jiggles when you shake the pan, When top sets and starts to
brown, (about 50 minutes) cover the pan with foil for the remainder of the
baking time.
While the cake is baking prepare the crumb topping. Mix the flour, brown
sugar, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Work the butter and
shortening into the mixture with your fingers or a pastry blender until the
mixture looks like coarse crumbs about the size of small peas. Stir in the
lemon extract.
After the cake is completely cooled, top with the crumb topping and sprinkle
with the confectioner's sugar. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and
refrigerate it until serving time.


Chookie

unread,
Nov 20, 2002, 7:30:51 AM11/20/02
to
In article <2f4fa659.02111...@posting.google.com>,
beibe...@yahoo.com (Betty) wrote:

> I really
> love cheese cakes,and I want to learn to make one,too.I mean original
> cheese cake.Would someone like to help me to find one recipe and give
> me some advices???Thank you very much!!!

Cheesecake recips here usually have a crumb crust. You put plain sweet
biscuits (= cookies) in a plastic bag, tie a knot, then bash the bag with a
rolling pin until thebiscuits become fine crumbs. You need about 1.5 cups of
crumbs. Mix the crumbs with 90g melted butter and press the mixture into a
greased 20cm pie or flan tin. Bake this for 10 mins at 190C and allow to cool
while you make the filling.

The simplest filling I can find is this:

375g cream cheese (you can also use drained cottage cheese, farmer's cheese,
or ricotta -- you just need a fresh cheese)
2 eggs
0.5 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
pinch salt

Beat all the filling ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Put into
crust and bake at 190C for about 20 mins or until set.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

I don't regard myself as a fanatic. I just have handy milk dispensers.
-- Lee, misc.kids

M&S

unread,
Nov 20, 2002, 6:19:43 PM11/20/02
to
What's the difference in processing for a dense version?

thanks,
Michelle

"SCUBApix" <jackeno...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:ardgnm$nm2$1...@mailgate2.lexis-nexis.com...

Davida Chazan - The Chocolate Lady

unread,
Nov 21, 2002, 3:26:52 AM11/21/02
to
On Wed, 20 Nov 2002 23:30:51 +1100, Chookie
<ehreb...@foulspambegone.com.au> wrote:

>
>375g cream cheese (you can also use drained cottage cheese, farmer's cheese,
>or ricotta -- you just need a fresh cheese)

Since, for me at least, all of these have some sour after taste, may I
suggest that you make your own. Take the purest yoghurt you can find
and place it in cheesecloth and hang it to drain - best over your sink
- for several hours. Use that and you can reduce the sugar in your
cheesecake since you won't need to mask any sour taste that you get in
US cream cheese, cottage cheese, farmer cheese or ricotta.


--
The Chocolate Lady (Davida Chazan)
<davida @ jdc . org . il>
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Carob is a brown powder made from the pulverized fruit of a
Mediterranean evergreen. Some consider carob an adequate substitute for
chocolate because it has some similar nutrients (calcium, phosphorus),
and because it can, when combined with vegetable fat and sugar, be
made to approximate the color and consistency of chocolate. Of course,
the same arguments can as persuasively be made in favor of dirt."
--Sandra Boynton
~*~*~*~*~*~
Links to my published poetry - http://davidachazan.homestead.com/

SCUBApix

unread,
Nov 22, 2002, 4:23:24 PM11/22/02
to
First, my original note is correct for the two versions mentioned.

The third version they call Dense & Firm. The difference is all in the
baking. First, don't use a water bath. second, bake for 10 minutes at 500F.
Then set the oven to 200F and open the oven door to let it cool to this
temp. Bake for about an hour more. The perimeter should be set but the
middle should jiggle.

"M&S" <ven...@stx.rr.com> wrote in message
news:jMUC9.44893$Kj1.1...@twister.austin.rr.com...

Scott

unread,
Nov 22, 2002, 4:50:22 PM11/22/02
to
In article <j05ptu0jsokhgcvm1...@4ax.com>,

Davida Chazan - The Chocolate Lady <7zcm...@sneakemail.com> wrote:

> Since, for me at least, all of these have some sour after taste, may I
> suggest that you make your own. Take the purest yoghurt you can find
> and place it in cheesecloth and hang it to drain - best over your sink
> - for several hours. Use that and you can reduce the sugar in your
> cheesecake since you won't need to mask any sour taste that you get in
> US cream cheese, cottage cheese, farmer cheese or ricotta.


I'm a bit surprised at this. I've made yogurt cheese many times, and
enjoy it, but I think that cream cheese is much less sour.

--
to email OT responses, change "spamless.invalid" to "optonline.net"

Davida Chazan - The Chocolate Lady

unread,
Nov 24, 2002, 5:02:46 AM11/24/02
to
On Fri, 22 Nov 2002 21:50:22 GMT, Scott <Heim...@spamless.invalid>
wrote:

Bad choice of words. More correct would have been salty, not sour.

I find American cream cheese is great - for eating on a bagel, but
lousy for a cheese cake because of its high salt content (and the fat
content is usually pretty prohibitive as well). I find American
cottage cheese has a dusty, dirty almost rancid aftertaste which
totally turns me off and is also horrid for making cheese cake.
Farmer and ricotta are certainly the best alternatives if you don't
want to make yoghurt cheese, although I forget which one is also too
salty for my taste.

You can easily counteract the "sour" part of yoghurt with a small
amount of sugar, but you need much more sugar to counteract the taste
of salt in a cheese cake.

I live in Israel where you can buy something that is much like a
yoghurt cheese. It has no salt added to it, so its naturally on the
sweet side. It goes perfectly in both sweet and savory dishes. Also
the cottage cheese here is far superior to anything I ever tasted in
the US.

(I couldn't ever stomach eating American cottage cheese. I thought
the stuff was totally vile until I moved to Israel and tasted what we
have here.)

Chookie

unread,
Nov 28, 2002, 5:23:44 PM11/28/02
to
In article <ca71uusnib3p9b6t2...@4ax.com>,

Davida Chazan - The Chocolate Lady <7zcm...@sneakemail.com> wrote:

> Bad choice of words. More correct would have been salty, not sour.
>
> I find American cream cheese is great - for eating on a bagel, but
> lousy for a cheese cake because of its high salt content (and the fat
> content is usually pretty prohibitive as well). I find American
> cottage cheese has a dusty, dirty almost rancid aftertaste which
> totally turns me off and is also horrid for making cheese cake.

Sounds like you have probably only eaten cheese which has gone off. These are
fresh cheeses, and should not taste rancid -- they should taste mild and
creamy. They should also only be sparingly salted.

0 new messages