Cheese Info (3 Of 3) Recipe

Recipe Ingredients

1 information on cheeses follo
1 (this is part 3 of 3)

MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS Milk is used infrequently in
cheesecakes. Other milk products that appear more frequently in
cheesecakes are buttermilk, sweetened condensed milk, and Yogurt.
Buttermilk is made when special bacteria are added to lowfat milk;
therefore, an average eight-ounce serving has about 100 calories. It
is available in most supermarkets, in 1-quart containers.
Sweetened condensed milk is evaporated milk to which sugar has been
added. It is very high in calories -- about 980 calories in a cup.
It is sold, unrefrigerated, in most supermarkets. Yogurt is milk
that has been allowed to ferment to a semisolid consistency. It can
be made from either whole or skim milk. It is often used as a
substitute for sour cream, since it often achieves a similar result.
If you do attempt to substitute yogurt for sour cream, use whole milk
yogurt if possible and drain carefully of excess water. Yogurt has far
fewer calories as well -- about 120 as opposed to sour cream's
average of 475 per cup. Yogurt is sold in all supermarkets in
eight-ounce and larger containers. You can also make it at home quite
easily.
EGGS Since the cheeses and creams used in
cheesecakes have such a high moisture content, it is necessary to
have an ingredient that can hold or absorb water. The most popular
and the most elegant solution to this problem is the egg. Also since
egg yolks and whites harden as they bake, they add body and texture
to the cheesecake. Egg yolks in particular contain lecithin, an
emulsifier, which has the effect of congealing the fats in the
cheese. Generally a cheesecake recipe with a high fat content will
also call for relatively more eggs.
EGG WHITES; Many recipes require you to separate the eggs and to
beat the whites until they form stiff peaks with the beaters of your
mixer. As egg whites are beaten, the albumen is spun out into a finer
and finer web of protein, the finer the structure, the more moisture
the batter can hold. If the whites are overbeaten or overheated,
however, the delicate structure collapses and the result is a soggy
cheesecake.
Since air is also encapsulated, the egg whites also add lightness to
the cake. Oddly enough, the freshest eggs are not the best for
cheesecakes; the whites of eggs that are a few days old can be beaten
to a larger volume. Unless you have access to farm fresh eggs,
though, this isn't likely to be a problem as most of the store bought
eggs are already at least several days old.
When beating the egg whites, add a dash of cream of tartar to make
them more stable. To make the whites stiffer 9 if this is desired)
you can blend in some confectioners' sugar or a boiling sugar syrup
once the whites have reached the soft peak stage.
BUTTER AND SHORTENING Except for a few special
cheesecakes, butter is not found among the ingredients in the
fillings. However, it is basic for most of the crusts. Please use
sweet butter rather than the salted.
FRUITS AND NUTS Many of the cheesecake recipes
use the grated rind of a lemon or orange. For the best results use
the fresh peel rather than the dried because as the peels are dried
they lose much of their aromatic oils. The only part of the peel
that is used is the outermost, colored layer, called the zest. The
zest can be removed with a zester or with any ordinary grater.
Many cheesecake recipes call for a small amount of lemon juice.
Fresh is the best to use, but good results can be obtained using
reconstituted lemon juice. You may wish to experiment, varying the
amount to suit your own taste and which kind to use.
Many times ground nuts are called for and it has been found that
lightly toasting them brings out a better flavor in almonds and
hazelnuts (filberts). They retain more of their crunch when used in
the batter. To roast the nuts, spread them out on a baking pan and
bake for 10 minutes or so in a 350 degree F. oven, stirring
occasionally to ensure even browning. If you use hazel nuts
(filberts) that still have their paperlike skins, the skins must be
removed before use -- they acquire a burnt taste during the roasting.
The cost of nuts, especially walnuts, in small quantities is
outrageous, but you can save a bundle if you buy them in the bulk and
in the shell. Shelled nuts turn rancid fairly quickly, though, store
them in the refrigerator or freezer, well wrapped.
SPICES AND FLAVORINGS Spices such as cinnamon,
cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom will appear frequently in
cheesecake recipes because the contrast so well with the mildness of
the cheeses. Spices do deteriorate as they sit on your rack, so be
sure to always have fresh ones on hand for your baking day. Cinnamon
and ginger can be used ground commercially, but you may want to grate
your own nutmeg and grind your own cloves or cardamom from the whole
spices. A coffee grinder is one of the best ways to do this.
Certain flavorings such as vanilla extract or instant-coffee powder
are used in cheesecakes. Rosewater is used in some and can be found in
specialty stores as well as the drugstore.
Chocolate is used in the mocha-flavored and chocolate-flavored
cheesecakes. Please use the real chocolate, baking or semi-sweet

Servings: 1

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