27/10/2023
***recipe in comments***
Cheesecake Story Time: 🤪
When I was asked to make the cake and cupcakes for the wedding, it turned out they also wanted a cheesecake...No problem. I got this, I have an *amazing* cheesecake recipe, never fails...
As previously mentioned, I went through a culinary program many years ago. One thing we did really well were cheesecakes. The baking instructor had a recipe we always used and we used it a LOT. Back then, I could’ve made that cheesecake in my sleep. It is a wonderful base and lends itself to any variety of flavor combos you’d like to use to change it up. Truly wonderful recipe.
I’ve made it as a Piña colada, chocolate, butterfinger, Samoa, strawberry swirl, the list goes on and on.
However, it has been at least 10 years since I have made one, and that’s where the problem started.
The recipe fails to mention the size of springform pan one should use when executing this delicious dessert.
In my head, I’d always made it in a 9-inch pan. That’s a good size, right? Not too big, but definitely not too small. I even treated myself to a brand new NordicWare springform pan just for the occasion!
I assembled my ingredients, and no longer having a kitchen scale, Googled conversions for weight to cup use. I rechecked just to make sure everything was right.
I made the crust, started on the filling, pulled the crust from the oven, adjusted the temp, finished the filling, all the things.
Poured the filling into pan and tasted the batter, just to triple check my measurements had been correct. The flavor was even better than I remembered, just was gonna be perfect!
The cheesecake went into the oven, with me thinking, “boy, that pan sure is full, but it’s been so long since I made it, I guess I’m just not remembering correctly, it is a very thick cheesecake. The 90 min cook time was up, I opened the oven to take a peek, it looked good, but a little more jiggly than I thought it should. Again, just thought I was misremembering, no biggie. Left it in the oven the extra hour, and when it came time to take it out, it was still very jiggly. I was getting concerned at this point but convinced myself it was ok, the cheesecake was still warm and would finish setting up when cool.
Here’s where I made the biggest mistake (but thankful that I did!), I stupidly thought that I was supposed to unfold it and then wrap it in plastic.
I. Was. Wrong.
The second the ring came off, my beautiful cheesecake began to ever so slowly, like hot lava, ooze itself alllllllll ovvvvvveerrrr the countertop. There was nothing I could do but watch it happen.
After which, I grabbed a couple of metal spatulas and scooped it into the garbage disposal.
All that work, all that time, all those ingredients, right down the literal and figurative drain. 😭😭😭
It was then I remembered we had only ever had 10-inch springform pans at school, and that is also the only size I had ever made myself at home.
Like I said, I’m thankful for my stupidity, the cheesecake was NOT done, and no amount of cooling in the fridge overnight would’ve made it better, and I wouldn’t have known until it was too late to start over.
The next morning, I purchased more cream cheese, had a do-over and didn’t put all the batter in the pan. Lesson learned. 😂
