Ingredient Test - What Will Happen If ???

[rdcast]

Could you help me
I'm performing these tests to gain practical
knowledge needed to understand the influence
of individual ingredients used in cheesecake recipes.

The smaller amount of ingredients for these tests will need a less amount of baking time and temperature.
​

For this first set of tests, ingredients will be mixed with a wood spoon to avoid introducing the ingredient of air.​

1. EGG WHITE TEST......[1 *bar cream cheese]+[the white from 1 egg]
2. EGG YOLK TEST.........[1 *bar cream cheese]+[2 yolks]
3. FLOUR TEST...........[1 *bar cream cheese]+[1 egg]+[2 tbsp flour]
4. CORNSTARCH TEST...[1 *bar cream cheese]+[1 egg]+[1 tbsp cornstarch]

*bar = 8 ounces
​

For anyone interested, please participate by posting your predictions for
the outcome of each of the 4 tests. Also, I would be interested in your
suggestions concerning baking times and temperatures. Any other
suggestions would be nice including ideas for future tests.
​

 

[rdcast]

First observations

Changes to the original plan are in red

1. EGG WHITE TEST......[1 *bar cream cheese]+[the white from 1 egg]
2. EGG YOLK TEST.........[1 *bar cream cheese]+[2 yolks]
3. FLOUR TEST...........[1 *bar cream cheese]+[1 egg]+[3 tbsp flour]
4. CORNSTARCH TEST...[1 *bar cream cheese]+[1 egg]+[1.5 tbsp cornstarch]

*bar = 8 ounces

A lack of liquid was a problem so I added the following to all:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• small cap of vanilla
• 1/8 cup lemon juice

Baking time: 15 min @ 500, 20 min @ 360, 1 hr @ 275. Total = 1 hr 35 min

All raised at the same rate and height, both egg white and egg yolk fell dramatically half way through baking.

The egg yolk scorched within the first 15 min of baking and remained the darkest. The cornstarch scorched almost as bad while the egg white scorched much less. The flour turned an even light gold color.

Both the flour and cornstarch fell normal amounts as the cooled but only half as much as the egg white and yolk did.

Surface textures:
The yolk blistered, leaving air pockets and achieved an interesting puff-pastry texturing around the edges. Away from the edges, it was very glossy.
The egg white left a smooth, leathery texture. As with the yolk it reached a high gloss.
The flour had a more durable yet unchanged surface. The ridges created by smoothing the batter with a spatula could still be felt and seen plainly.
The cornstarch was a little more glossy and smother than the flour.

Samples were too small for anything to crack.

Still too warm to un-pan and cut. I'll report on the internals later.

 

[rdcast]

All comments are welcome. Some of you have the expertise to explain what I'm looking at.

Ok, what I found inside:

Between the flour and cornstarch, there was only a slight deference in that the flour was less moist and dense but not by much.

Between the egg white and the yolk, there was a greater deference in that the egg white was much less wet. Density was about the same tho the yolk may be slightly tastier. I included too much lemon juice, masking the natural flavor of the egg.

I would be curious in finding out, how the flour would cook, without any egg.