Individual/Mini Cheesecakes

[gfron1]

I'm bumping this topic because I'm making 100 mini cheesecakes for a fundraiser this weekend. I am going to use a 2" cone silicone mold for the shape (like what bripastryguy suggests). My concern is that cheesecake batter puffs and falls often times. Does anyone have a recipe that is more stable, or suggestions for preventing this problem? I like Craig Claiborne's recipe typically but I've never used it for minis. I don't want to give them nuggets because of a fallen cake.

Thanks

[CanadianBakin']

For our niece's wedding I also did 65 individual cheesecakes so I contacted bripastryguy for tips. I didn't have a silicone mold or the money to get one so I used waterchestnut cans with the top and bottom taken out. Not 65, only 12 and made one batch a night and froze them. They were about 3-1/4". A couple of his tips were to not make them thicker than 1-1/2" thick and to bake them at about 275F. This temperature worked great, even for the larger "wedding" cake. They didn't rise or puff or crack. I used a sheet pan of water on the lower shelf.

[alanamoana]

I'm bumping this topic because I'm making 100 mini cheesecakes for a fundraiser this weekend.  I am going to use a 2" cone silicone mold for the shape (like what bripastryguy suggests).  My concern is that cheesecake batter puffs and falls often times.  Does anyone have a recipe that is more stable, or suggestions for preventing this problem?  I like Craig Claiborne's recipe typically but I've never used it for minis.  I don't want to give them nuggets because of a fallen cake.

Thanks

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cheesecake puffs and falls usually because it is overbaked (it is the eggs that cause it to souffle). the idea is to pull them out of the oven when they still jiggle in the middle slightly (like a creme brulee). as a cheesecake is merely a baked custard, it will continue to set up out of the oven. this is harder when you're baking something so small. because it is in a silicone mold, you might be able to bake them in a water bath. but they definitely need to be frozen to unmold from the pan.

good luck!

[sugarseattle]

yep, it's totally overbaking! I usually pull my cheesecake when I start to see that halo forming and there's a little jiggly action. There was one theory shooting around that cheesecake also rises and falls because of overbeating, which is easy to do b/c you're usually trying really hard to get the lumps out. good planning in the order of your ingredients will help.

i use the cooks illustrated cheesecake recipe. I love it; however, I also like the one on the philly box...it's only like 3-4 ingredients and it's pretty darned good.

when i'm cutting a full sheet, I usually try to work really fast and I can get it done before the edges start to thaw, but on hot days, I cut the whole bugger in half and work on half at a time. a little rosette of whipped cream does absolute wonders for redirecting your eye away from any slightly marred edges, and yes, I plop them into little paper cups...makes them easier to handle at parties and such.

Oh, and one more thing, a very thin cheap knife seems to work the best. I got my cheesecake cutter at goodwill for 99cents.

Edited September 20, 2007 by sugarseattle (log)

[gfron1]

The jiggle test works except when you're out walking your dogs and don't get back in time for jiggling duty! Batch one will be slightly overcooked, but they're still edible. I'll watch more closely on batch two in the morning. Thanks for the advice everyone.

[CanadianBakin']

The jiggle test works except when you're out walking your dogs and don't get back in time for jiggling duty!  Batch one will be slightly overcooked, but they're still edible.  I'll watch more closely on batch two in the morning.  Thanks for the advice everyone.

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If you had a good idea of how long it takes you could always set your oven to turn off and just leave them in the oven to cool and set.

[gfron1]

Here's what I learned from you all - I've always overbaked my cheesecakes. SugarSeattle - I owe you big! I pulled with just a hint of jiggle. These were a huge success. I made them for our local women's fiber art guild - passionfruit cheese cake, sprayed with white chocolate, tinted with Chef Rubber Aztec Orange. Thanks everyone for the help.

[K8memphis]

Wow, Rob, those are so cool.

Maybe it's just the picture but stick in a little stem* on top and spray them green with a soft red blush and you could make pears.

*A clove would work or a chocolate stem & leaf would rock.

[gfron1]

Now that I've invested in a sprayer that I can't use for anything but food I'll have to start playing more. eGullet will be seeing quite a bit of sprayed foods from me in the upcoming year

[alanamoana]

rob, i have to say those cheesecakes are some of the most elegant desserts you've made so far! i admit, i'm a fan of clean, simple lines and that's what i love best about them.

great job!

[CanadianBakin']

Beautiful! Did you have a crust?

[gfron1]

Thanks for the kind words. No, there was no crust. They were eaten about 45 minutes after being put on the table (it was a fundraiser fashion show), which is longer than I would have liked. So at that point, and when I scarfed a damaged one right after spraying, but after it was starting to soften on our work table, neither time was their a crust. I did two full coats to ensure equal color coverage, so it wasn't quite pickable, but not gooey, slushy either. Did any of that make sense?

[devlin]

Thanks for the kind words.  No, there was no crust.  They were eaten about 45 minutes after being put on the table (it was a fundraiser fashion show), which is longer than I would have liked.  So at that point, and when I scarfed a damaged one right after spraying, but after it was starting to soften on our work table, neither time was their a crust.  I did two full coats to ensure equal color coverage, so it wasn't quite pickable, but not gooey, slushy either.  Did any of that make sense?

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Do you have a good source for a food sprayer?

[gfron1]

HERE'S the topic that got me started on the project. I used a Wagner power painter, but that topic has much more appropriate suggestions.

[Tri2Cook]

Depending on the type and volume of spraying you want to do, I think the Wagner sprayers are great. Inexpensive, easy to use and, as Rob's pictures show, very nice results. If you want something for fine airbrush-style work of course it's not the right tool but for putting a coat of chocolate on things they're fine. I've never been tempted to trade mine in for a $200 - $300 (or more) upgrade but I don't use it for spraying chocolate molds or detail work.

[Matthew Kirshner]

Hi everyone,

I have been asked to make cheesecake cupcakes for a wedding in 6 months. I have made large cheesecakes in the past for jobs but not cupcakes. I have a few questions if anyone could answer:

1. The client wants liners, I know not to use foil liners, but would regular paper liners work without sticking to the cheesecake?

2. normally I would waterbath, should I waterbath for cupcake size? I have notice some articles and recipes they don't.

3. What would be a typical temperature and time? again I have only done big ones in large deck ovens.

4. this is more of I client preference, but any ideas for topping ex.. whipped cream, buttercream, ect.. something that can be presented on a tower.

any thoughts would be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

[Lisa Shock]

I have made mini cheesecakes in cupcake pans, the silicone ones work really well for this. I have never used liners, they pop out really easily from the silicone. (I'd recommend putting them in liners after baking, but, the product is wet, so, I'd recommend the foil liners.)

I have always wound up standing by the oven when I make these, to ensure they don't overcook. My recollection is that they took about 20 minutes in a convection oven at 300°F with an already-hot water bath. I don't really think you need the water bath. Traditional wisdom is that you'll get side browning without the bath, but, with silicone being such a good insulator I don't think that will occur if you choose the silicone route.

Can't say I have thought too much about toppings. Me personally, I'd top with fruit and glaze, like a fruit tart -work out some sort of pattern that looks like flowers or something. Or maybe, some sort of molded chocolate to perch on top. Or, fruit and chocolate. Nothing too sweet. Nothing that would get soggy, like a cookie. (I cannot imagine icing here...) If you bake a cheesecake with a (delicious) sour cream layer on top, you get a softer, pure white top to anchor things like fruit.

[JeanneCake]

You can bake cheesecake in cupcake pans, with paper liners in them; I'd bake them the way I do the individual ones in rings - at a low temp, like 225 or 250 a nd for a limited time (20-30 minutes, checking at the 20 minute mark). When I bake the individual rings, i don't use a waterbath (I'm using a convection oven and I turn the heat down to 225 and turn the pan a lot). It's easier to get them out of the pan if you bake in liners.

If you bake in cupcake pans, you can place those pans in a sheet pan of water to simulate a water bath if your recipe works better that way.

You could also bake a sheet of cheesecake and then cut the sheet into rings (or triangles, or what have you) that will fit your paper liners, and if you want a more secure footing, you can place the cut circles onto cookie bases. I bake off half-sheets (because I make cheesecake pops) and if I am feeling very self assured, I'll bake at 300 for 35 minutes having poured 6 pounds of batter into the pan (using a pan extender). It's 250 for a little bit longer if there's lots of "stuff" (like oreos, heath bar, other cookie types like Girl Scout Samoas) - I am also modifying the recipe to make a firmer, denser cheesecake that can withstand rolling.

[Matthew Kirshner]

After speaking with the client recently, she inform me of no liners. Now I have to figure out a way to present the cheesecakes on a tower, I was thinking of gold boards but I don't think they make small enough ones. Does anyone know where I could find any?

[Pam R]

I've ordered small rounds and squares from Qualita Paper. The minimums may be too much for you (I think it's says 1000, but I honestly don't think I had to order that many -- but it's been years.) I think they make them from 1 1/2" and up.

[Lisa Shock]

3 1/8" is the most common small board, available from a lot of vendors in gold or silver and sometimes white. You could make the fit a bit better by pipping a border around the base of each cake.

[Franci]

No, no. Don't make round and cut square . . . too much waste. You can make cheesecakes in a square pan and then cut bites or bars the size you want. Check out my caramel cheesecake squares in the eGRA.

 

Hi, I'm bringing this up because I'd like to make a NY style cheese cake and cut into bite size. I have guests over for dinner on Saturday and Sunday so, I could do this in advance and have part of the dessert ready for both dinners.

 

I'm not a cheesecake expert, 10 years have passed since I made one...I'd like to go with something simple, I was thinking of the American Test Kitchen recipe which I found on line. It calls for a 9 inch pan. I have a Pyrex rectangular dish about 7x11 and then a bigger one. But I don't want to make a larger batch.

What if I cut the round cheesecake with cookie cutters? I knonw, a little bit of waste. I just realized my cookie cutters are not tall enough. I only have round rings appropriate for this.

And if I cook in the pyrex the sides are not straight anyway, so some waste is going to happen also there. I don't like the idea to portion the cake in slices and present it already cut.

Any difference in cooking temperatures and time if using glass?

 

Thanks

[Smithy]

Franci, do you mean the ATK recipe calls for a 9 inch diameter (round) pan, or a 9x9 square pan? If 9x9 then your 7x11 pan will only be slightly smaller area, and the cheesecake only slightly thicker. If they're specifying a 9 inch diameter pan, that only has an area of 63.5 square inches, compared to your small pan's 77 square inches. Your cheesecake will be 21% thinner. Will that be acceptable?

Sorry I'm coming up with fresh questions instead of answers. (And no, I don't know how to compensate for the differences.) :-)

[Franci]

Thank you Smithy, I was referring to the recipe calling for the 9 inch round pan.

I was thinking I also have 6 rings, 75 mm diameter (about 3 inches), maybe  bigger than I'd like,  and reading from this thread I got the idea that a big cake texture is better than the texture you could get from small cheese cakes if you are not careful...so, I'm not sure which way to go but the rings would be convenient.

With the same formula I could get about 9-10 rings. Could I make the filling and refrigerate  the unused portion, while the first batch is cooking and cooling? If I cover the sides of the rings with parchment strips, I don't have to freeze the cheese cakes and just cook and unmold, maybe 20 minutes for that diameter, just guessing.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Franci (log)

[Franci]

So, I ended up using a 8x8 inch pan with removable bottom that I had. It's not very tall, so I ended up cutting the filling in half, and I'll cut up very small squares.

Problem is that I have an ancient chamber stove it just doesn't go to very low temperatures but keeps the heat for very long. I put the cake in at 400 f from my thermometer and turned off the heat...I'll check in half an hour (total 1 1/2 hours). I hope is going to work