Title: CHEESE INFO (3 OF 3)
Categories: Cheese, Info/tips
Yield: 1 servings
1 x Information on Cheeses follo
1 x (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
