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Fresh Grade AA large eggs.
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Full-fat cream cheese produces the
texture and taste you're after. The fat-free kind is apt to bake up a cake that's soft,
chalky and slightly rubbery inside while the low fat sort, often dubbed
"Neufchatel", will yield a harder, more crumbly cheesecake, according to Pam
Anderson, author of The Perfect Recipe.
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Heavy cream (pasteurized rather than
ultra pasteurized).
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Sour cream that hasn't actually
soured and spoiled.
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Be sure all ingredients are at
room temperature before you begin mixing, especially the cream cheese. If it's cold and
hard it will make a lumpy cheesecake and if you think beating it to death will take care
of those annoying bits of uncreamed cheese...think again. |
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Baking cheesecakes in a bain-marie
also known as a water bath, produces a texture that is creamy almost custard-like, moist
and rich. Cheesecakes baked in this manner are insulated from the direct dry heat of the
oven. Like creme brulee, bread pudding and flan, a cheesecake is similar in structure to
these flourless custards and benefits from the gentle even heat a water bath can provide. |
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Fruit is better reserved for use
as a topping as its flavor can get muddled and lost in the cheesecake when bake along with
it. A plain cheesecake topped with a cooled fruit compote or fresh berries glazed with
melted preserves will give you a spectacular presentation as well as optimum taste. |
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Additional Tips:
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Avoid over-beating the cheesecake
filling. Over-beating incorporates additional air and tends to cause cracking on the
surface of the cheesecake.
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Use a springform pan (a pan with
removable side and bottom). Placing the pan on a baking sheet helps to avoid leaks in the
oven.
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Always bake a cheesecake on the
center rack of the oven.
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