Basic cheesecake filling

 
                          BASIC CHEESECAKE FILLING
 
 Recipe By     : 
 Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Cheesecakes
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
    1       lb           To 2 lb cream cheese
      1/2   c            Powdered sugar
    2                    To 3 eggs
      1/2   c            Yogurt or sour cream
      3/4   c            Liqueur or fruit/vegetable
                         -puree
    1       tb           Vanilla
    1       t            Or more other flavored
                         -extracts,
                         -if desired
 
   Here's where it gets fun.  The more cream cheese you
   use, the denser the cheesecake will be (but not dry!)
   The more eggs you use, the fluffier it will be.
   There's a delicate balance here - 1 lb cheese and 3
   eggs will give you a fluffy cheesecake, but if you use
   2 lbs cheese, 3 eggs is an absolute must if you don't
   want it to be flat. More eggs than 3, and you'll taste
   the eggs.  1 lb cheese and 2 eggs is a nice balance,
   too, but going any lower than that you'll just end up
   with something flat.
   
   The powdered sugar works best for two reasons - number
   one, powdered sugar contains corn starch, which acts
   as a thickener, and number two, you don't have to
   worry about the grittiness of undissolved sugar in
   your cake. The yogurt or sour cream adds moistness and
   a little bit of tang to the cake. It's not necessary,
   but it adds oomph to either a bland cake or a
   citrus-flavored cake.  For liqueur, add no more than
   1/2 cup if you're using the yogurt or sour cream, and
   make sure you're using the three eggs. If you
   eliminate the yogurt/sour cream, you can increase the
   liqueur to 3/4 cup, and 2 eggs will work (but three is
   still better - two works best only if you're not using
   the yogurt/sour cream >and< your liqueur is only 1/2
   cup.)  A fruit or vegetable puree should be relatively
   dry - drain off the liquid in a sieve, or put it in a
   saucepan, mix in some cornstarch, and heat it until
   it's thick. You can use an entire cup of puree if you
   eliminate the yogurt/sour cream. Either mix in the
   puree with the batter, or reserve a cup or so of
   batter, mix it with the puree, then swirl it into the
   cheesecake.
   
   The vanilla is a must, in my opinion.  Lots of times,
   I'll throw in an extra teaspoon for good measure.
   Other extracts can enhance the flavor - banana extract
   in a strawberry cheesecake, coconut extract or almond
   extract in an Amaretto cheesecake, etc.
   
   Another addition would be cocoa or chocolate.  Cocoa
   mixes in nicely without making the cheesecake gooey -
   4-6 Tbsp will do it.  Melted chocolate or white
   chocolate chips shouldn't really exceed 6 oz, even 4
   oz will usually do enough for the flavor.  If you're
   doing the swirl thing, use only 2-3 oz melted
   chocolate for the batter that's being swirled in. Make
   sure the melted stuff is cooled before you mix it in.
   
   (see also Basic Cheesecake Crust and Basic Cheesecake
   Method & Toppings)
   
   * The Polka Dot Palace BBS 1-201-822-3627.  Posted by
   FAYLEN
  
 
 
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