Title: Cheese Info (3 of 3)
Categories: Cheese, Info/tips
Yield: 1 Info
Information on Cheeses follow
(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 8 oz
serving has about 100 cal. It is available in most supermarkets, in
1 qt containers.
Sweetened condensed milk is evaporated milk to which sugar has been
added. It is very high in calories, about 980 cal in 1 cup.
It is sold, unrefrigerated, in most supermarkets. Yogurt is milk
that has been allowed to ferment to a semi-solid 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 8 oz 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 (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°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
