"It's a piece of cake... CHEESEcake!"

January TWENTY ELEVEN. Now that is crazy. So, I started my blog, one post down, several months later here we are. I really do want to catalog my life, especially my cooking experiences. So, for today I shall enlighten you on yesterday's cheesecake 'experience'...ha. 


It is PMF's birthday today, yeah I know you don't know what that means, well it is Pardon My French, that is my boss (his last name is French, he has a blog, Pardon My French... he think it's hysterical, the name in all...)... anyways and as I love to bake, share the baking, etc etc I thought I might make him a delightful treat in honor of his 17th 21st Birthday! Get. Excited. 

I said, "PMF, What would you like my kitchen-aid to make you for your BIG day?" And well let me tell you he deliberated... deliberated... and came up with... "I like cakepops, or wait, pie..well not cherry pie... umm white cake is good, ohh Cheesecake, yumm. I dunno though, maybe something chocolate or what is that flavor, oh yeah, amaretto?" 


LONNNG story short... we were gonna have a Chocolate Amaretto Cheesecake. 
I really do not make cheesecake, now this is not to say I never have, but it never seems to come our right... so I tend to shy away from it... Before yesterday here is what I knew about cheesecake:

• It has cream cheese
• A graham cracker crust
• Spring form pans are a good idea
• The dang things always look hideous when I make them!

So I did A LOT of research, and by the way I decided that NO LONGER was it going to be enough to just be able to make something and have it turn out good, I want to know why its good, how to use each ingredient to it's best ability, and understand how best to make each part and process of a recipe...(this is why the research).


Here is what I learned... Helpful tips in case you are standing in your kitchen, reading this and wondering what the heck happened because now your crust is soggy, your top is brown and cracked, and you put it in at 350 just like the recipe said, but now it is WAY. TOO. DENSE.

• No matter the recipe cook at 325, for starting at 40 minutes, increase time as needed
• Once the cheesecake moves as a unit, is shiny in the middle but firm to the touch, turn off oven and leave for an hour. 
• Spring form pans leak. So, wrap foil, first by using three heavy duty sheets crisscrossed and then wrapping them around the pan. 
• Using a water bath is a must do. 
• 1TB of flour per LB of cream cheese is like your cheesecakeable insurance - your cheesecake won't crack and look like the worst wreck of your life... so add some when you're adding the sugar. 

Good advice. I know, because I did all of this, and well, the result... please see below. YUM. 

*You will have to excuse this one, the use of my cellular device as a photo taker... gross. ...no cracks, no brown, no leaks... just plain delish.                                                                  Ok so, Happy 17th 21st Birthday PMF! I didn't die from pre cheesecake anxiety, but I might now from salivation.