Hello to all our readers. Summer is really here and with all the sweats that come with it, baking has become difficult to experience since you are dealing with both the hot weather and the heat of the oven. Our column today has something to do with cheesecakes.  Learn from it and practice baking. 

Q: Hi Adoree and Jun Jun, why do some recipes of cheesecakes call for bain marie baking and others do not?  (Conrad of Ilocos) 

Jun Jun: That’s  a very good question, Conrad.  The bain marie method of baking really depends on what type of texture you want for your cheesecake.  This method will give you a very dense and cakey texture that is very common among U.S-based recipes. The bain marie method gives you a softer and lighter finish after it is baked.  However, the problem arises when the water seeps into the crust or the bottom part of your cheesecake creating a very watery and liquidy crust.  Other bakers would put containers of water inside the oven to variate the bain marie method. 

Adoree: Bain marie or hot water bath ensures gentle, even baking in cheesecakes. If your cheesecake recipe has very little or no starch in it, you need to bake it in a bain marie so you do not get the eggs to curdle and create tunnels with liquid in your cheesecake.  If your cheesecake recipe has enough starch in it, you may bake it directly without a hot water bath.  The starch in your cheesecake acts as boulders that keep the protein in eggs come together so they don’t curdle.  If you are unsure whether you need a hot water bath or not, using one will not hurt your cheesecake.  Baking bain marie also prevents cracking in the cheesecake.

Q: My cheesecake sides come out so ugly. I have tried using different knives for this. What can I do? (Amity of Manila)

Jun Jun:  Hi Amity,  a simple brushing of shortening or good flavoured oil should be done on the sides of your pan for easy removal.  This step is usually forgotten since the crust is there that will make sure that it can be removed.  Doing this step will make sure you have a clean and neat cheesecake. 

Adoree: Aside from what Jun Jun mentioned, you have to chill your cheesecake overnight to make sure it is completely set before you unmold it.  Loosening the side with a thin spatula is still needed to ensure easy unmolding.

Q: My cheesecake has big lumps of plastic bits that disappear after.  What could I be doing wrong with my recipe?  Help!  ( Vince of Manila )

Jun Jun: I have a feeling  Vince that your cheesecake recipe has some gelatine powder in it.  These are the bits that you perhaps ate and were present in it.  This happens when the gelatine mixture present in the cheesecake didn’t rise properly.  Always soak gelatine in water for 5 minutes, to become active.  Then heat a little to melt the gelatine but do not boil, cool and add to a mixture that is continually being swirled.  Make sure that the temperature of the gelatine mixture is the same as that of the mixture you will add it on too.  If anything is not the same, the gelatine will stiffen, causing bits to appear. 

Adoree:  Hi, Vince.  I’m not sure what you meant with plastic bits present in your cheesecake.  The first thing that entered my mind was there might be bubbles that set after you baked your cheesecake.  Next time, just beat the batter at low speed to minimize incorporating air in your cheesecake so you get a nice, dense cheesecake that is perfectly smooth.

Q: What’s the real blueberry cheesecake?  This has been a family question we want to be answered by both of you Adoree and Jun Jun.  Clarify please. (  Clarissa of Malabon )

Jun Jun: The real blueberry cheesecake is made with cream cheese, heavy cream, sugar, and gelatine powder and doesn’t need any baking process.  Mix, then chill then top with a canned blueberry mixture.  This was the rave during the later part of the 70s. I had an aunt who would always give us this cheesecake.  It is suppose to be creamy, rich, and gelatinous but not too much that it becomes its prominent feature.  Variations started appearing around the later part of 1980s when baked cheesecake was covered with blueberry.  This type was made famous by several bakeshops in the United States as well as here in the Philippines. 

Adoree: I have not read anything about the real blueberry cheesecake. I think it still boils down to preference, whether you want a no-bake cheesecake base or a baked cheesecake.  Though here in our country, the no-bake cheesecake topped with the blueberry pie filling is a favorite of many.

Q: How long will a cheesecake last?  ( Timothy of Quezon City )

Jun Jun: Well, in our family, as a dessert during a meal, it’s consumed in 15 minutes (hehehe).  Seriously, cheesecake can last in the freezer for over a month; when refrigerated, probably a week or so.  The baked kind will last longer than the chilled ones.  Enjoy! 

Adoree: Timothy, I would say a week more or less, in the chiller.  Longer than that, you will have to store it in the freezer to be able to keep for a few months.