Light And Airy But Too Delicate

[rdcast]

Prepared a 10" spring form pan by wrapping bottom insert with foil and spraying with Pam(without flour). For a bottom crust - 3 tbsp butter + chocolate chip cookie crumbs.

Ingredients assembled in 5 steps

1. 4 cream cheese bars + 1 cup sour cream
2. 4 egg whites
3. 1/2 cup flour + 2 tbsp powdered buttermilk (sifted together twice)
   
4. 1 tbsp vanilla
5. 2 cups sugar

I began beating with electric mixer on high at the end of the step 3, until smooth and fluffy. Again, beating in the vanilla and sugar thoroughly.

Baked at 375 for 15 minutes then reduced to 300 for 45 minutes. Continued at a reduced 250 for 1 hour.

Previously, I would start baking at 450, causing a dramatic rise and early browning within the first 15 minutes, all collapsing during cooling. Attempting to lessen the collapse, I started at the lower temp and reduce as soon as the rise began. This cake never browned, causing me to extend baking and additional 45 minutes at 250.

It cracked nice and even around the top. The collapse was minimized without sinking below the rim(no crater). The sides, rim and top were tender and evenly colored. The top was very pale yellow.

The flavor of this cake was enhanced with the powdered buttermilk. Deliciously mellow. I highly recommend adding buttermilk instead of lemon.

Cutting is most difficult due to the delicate texture. The cake globs excessively on the blade while attempting to slice. This is eliminated by heating the blade over an open flame. Make sure to scrub clean the blade in hot soapy water immediately after each slice.

The more I eat this cheesecake the more I like it.

Pluses:

1. Level top with reduced collapse
2. Light and airy texture(heavenly fluffy)
3. Pleasant color, nice crust
4. Wonderful flavor(buttermild big plus)
5. This cheesecake is fine alone or can take any toping

Minuses:

1. Difficult to cut due to the overly delicate texture
2. Poor presentation due to collapse under slight presure of knife or fork.
3. Retained a little more moisture than desired
4. Overall, not a professional finish

 

[lulu]

If it is so delicate will it cary a topping? (plus point 5: ....can take any topping)

I lose trak now, but have you tried whipping the eggs whites to soft peak and folding them in? You could fold that in after beating everything else at high speed.

I, like a lot of people, have only a shadow of an idea of the texture you seek, but am I right in gathering that now its TOO light and you want to go back a bit heavier? Or do you think adding more cakiness too this mix would help?

What about ground almonds to replace most of the flour or add extra toothsomeness? they might take you backa bit heavier though. I think you might need more weight to retain shape on cutting?

Can you post a picture of the cut cake so we can see as well as read your description..it might help.

When you crack this are we all getting one in the post? lol

 

[rdcast]

I have to find the silly cables to my camera lulu, but yea, that would be the best way of showing you all.

At this point, it's not ready for garnishing due to how delicate it is.

The word you used "toothsomeness" is an awesome term in getting across what is needed here. Notice the recipe has no egg yolk.

Somehow I will find those cables.

 

[lulu]

what do you think about ground almonds, huh?

And you didnot say if you were sending some over to Italy for me when you crack this recipe?!!!

 

[rdcast]

Yes, as soon as it's good enough and I learn how to send it frozen.

Ground almonds ??? Is that like a flour ? Never heard of it. Tell me what it should do.

 

[lulu]

I don't KNOW what you should do, I am still not sure I get exactly what it is you are after.

Ground almonds is heavier than flour, so I mention it with caution. I make a few cakes with it that are a bit lighter than pound cake.

The grains of the flours are bigger and possibly more absorbant than flour so might help your cake dry and be a little firmer, but its just a guess.

My suggestion would be you make a normal cake (ie not cheesecake..it might hurt but other cakes exist!) with ground almonds and then see if it helps. As you are big on experimentation I'll pm a recipe. Cook it and cook the same recipe with all flour instead of and ground almonds. see what happens.

 

[rdcast]

lol, yea, but when you speak of other kinds of cakes it becomes a field way too large for me to ponder. But you excite me with the mentioning of almond flour. I gotz to get some !!! The idea of a more absorbing flour may just be the ticket !!!

 

[lulu]

Or it might become a sodden heap. Who knows? I sent you a recipe. I have always bought ground almonds easily, but if you can't get them I suppose there is nothing stopping you gringing them in a food processor.

The recipe I sent you the batter seems very wet. Don't worry. It'll be ok. I am imagining its the texture you seek for cheesecake, but as I say, I am not sure. Also, the texture of it will change over a couple of days, even improve, so cut and eat a slice say, four days ina row.

When you gonna try it then?

 

[rdcast]

The almond thingy confuses me a bit. Is it flour?

 

[Chef_Jen]

There is almond flour there..

You made this cake to delicate. i would not sift the flour.. I would add a couple of yolks this should make it a bit more stable.. and i dont think it was baked long enough hence the wobbly centre

 

[rdcast]

It already has a 2 hr+ baking time. The center was as done as the rest. You think the sifting makes a difference. Gosh this is tough considering the time involved. But I love you, I MEAN your suggestions. I'll get cracking on it right away !!!

 

[lulu]

it is GROUND ALMONDS! You take almonds, you grind them. I have always been able to buy them in the home baking section of a supermarket. Or in healthfood shops. Already ground up and in a little plastic bag. But I can't see why you could not grind whole, blanched (SKINLESS) almonds in a food processor.

Almonds, all ground up, looks a bit like biscuit crumbs, feels soft, acts in a similar but more...more way than flour.

See the links below, first is a picture (???) second is an excellent descripton from UK's premier supermarket, third another use of them. Does that help?

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...num=10&hl=en&lr=&client=safari&rls=en-us&sa=N

http://www.waitrose.com/frontend/popups/rec_gloss.asp?uidstr=755

http://joyofbaking.com/ChocolateAlmondTorte.html

 

[rdcast]

I bet it's great but man it's ugly !!!

I bet the addition of the almond flavor will be marvelous. Thanx lulu, again.

 

[lulu]

Well, I haven't made that, but I thought it might give you an idea of how the almonds can be used, along with the other recipe I sent, which is the one I suggest you try to give you some other perspective on your project. I think its kind of beautiful, though. Looks like it would taste good.

The flavour of ground almonds can be very subtle. Its a textural thing I am going for, although inevitably you will get a flavour. But my guess is that the butter milk is the predominate flavour, then the cheese? And will continue to be I imagine.

 

[rdcast]

Ness tells me the buttermilk was a little strong so I'll be using 1 tbsp instead of 2

Some of these flavors may work together, such as almond, vanilla or buttermilk as long as they remain subtle. Do you think ???

 

[lulu]

Well, I imagine so. I don't use buttermilk very often at all. I use it to soak chicken breasts in. Its available in Uk but not very common. I haven't even looked for it in Italy. But I use almond and vanilla all the time, and you can but try with the buttermilk, I imagine it would be nice.

But did you like it with 2 spoons of buttermilk? Its your impossible recipe you are trying to nail here...

 

[rdcast]

yes, I was very surprised how nice it was and may have overdone it a bit. Here in the states, buttermilk is an old-time favorite. My grandmother used it all the time but anymore all I hear of it is "buttermilk pancakes". I do want it to be less prominent, so yea, I'll use less

 

[Chef_Jen]

ya 2 different kettles of fish here.. buttermilk pancakes SHOULD taste like BM. Cheesecake not so much!

How long do you let your cheesecakes cool in the oven i let mine cool for a few hours if not over night.. i get no cracks and a lovely finish dont over load with flavours

almonds
buttermilk
vanilla
cheese

why mix them all together.. i prefer a dominate flavour in a cheesecake not 100000 lil flavours this aint wine

 

[Chef_Jen]

Almond flour is simply ground blanched almonds. Recipes dating back to medieval times call for it as a thickener, a replacement for wheat flour, and a base for cakes and puddings. It doesn't show up a lot these days as an ingredient, but is still essential to certain Viennese confections

 

[rdcast]

That was funny enough to make me smile. I get tired of lemon or vanilla. Buttermilk, if not over done is nice. I want to try this almond thing but I don't have any at the moment.

I cool in an open oven until I can take it out with my bare hands then on a rack then in the fridge overnight.

I'm adding those two egg yolks you mentioned and avoid sifting. I'm out of sour cream so it's eliminated this time. Just one tablespoon of buttermilk powder and no vanilla. Also I'm going to beat it a little less. I pumped too much into it last night.