Cheese Info (3 Of 3)

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

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  From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at
www.synapse.com/~gemini

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