Assembling a Double Decker Cheeesecake

[apronstrings]

I found a terrific cheesecake recipe I'd like to try. I've made hundreds over the years, all types, flavors and textures, but never a double decker one.

Sugarella and K8MEMPHIS gave me some good advice on how to prep and assemble a double decker cheesecake-- freeze the baked cakes and then assemble,or bake both batters in one pan together.

Now I come across this chocolate pumpkin cheesecake recipe from Marcel Desaulnier's book, "Death by Chocolate" and I'm a bit confused. Have any of you tried it???

According to the recipe, after baking the cakes in 2 pans simultaneously, and cooling to room temp, he refrigerates the chocolate cheesecake for an hour. However, he leaves the pumpkin one out at room temp. After the hour, he pours a ganache over the cold chocolate cheesecake. He inverts the room temp pumpkin cheesecake (which was NOT baked in a springform pan) on top, wraps in plastic wrap, and refrigerates the double decker for a few hours.

How does the top layer, the pumpkin, come out of the cake pan so soon after being baked, and not fall apart? I've always chilled/frozen mine first.

What's to keep the pumpkin layer from sliding off?

I am obviously missing something here, but can't see what it is. Thanks for your help.

[chefpeon]

No disrespect to Mr. Desaulnier, but I would say that the way he says to do it is:

A) not the easiest, and

B) a good way to set yourself up for failure

Trust your judgement. I know that can be hard when your have specific instructions staring you in the face. You think, "gee, there's gotta be some REASON for that......."

But I look at those instructions, trust my instinct and say, "yes, there IS an easier way to do that."

Why he says to do it that way.......I just can't reason it out.

This is how I'd do it.

Ok you know, the end result you are trying to achieve is to sandwich two cheesecakes together with ganache. You want to do it the easiest cleanest way.

I always bake my cheesecakes in a regular cake pan (I've never needed a springform), then freeze, then use the propane torch or gas cooktop to quickly heat the bottom of the cake pan to get the cheesecake out. I run a knife around the edge of the pan, invert, a voila! Cheesecake out of pan....cleanly. Then I just flip it back over to get it right side up.

Freeze both your cheesecakes. Unpan the chocolate one first, and place it on the serving platter you wish to use. Or cardboard, or whatever you wish. Then, unpan your pumpkin cheesecake. Pour warm ganache over the chocolate cheesecake, then quickly place your frozen pumpkin cheesecake on top before the ganache has a chance to completely set up. The fact that your cheesecakes are cold is a good thing, because it won't take long for the coldness to set the ganache up and keep the cakes in place. Then, voila! You're done.

Easy, easy.

[apronstrings]

Yes, I totally agree with you. Thanks for your reply. Wouldn't it be interesting to see a video of a demo? I wonder if all the recipes in the book were tested!!! I've never used silicone pans. Is it worth it to buy them?

[chefpeon]

I've never used silicone pans. Is it worth it to buy them?

Personally, I don't think they are worth it.....they are expensive, for one thing, and for another,

they do eventually end up splitting and cracking from the constant temperature changes.

However there are some things I would use silicone for......like all the nice molds you can get

from JB Prince, and the impression mats and things of that sort. Love silpats too.

I wonder if all the recipes in the book were tested!!!

One wonders. Most likely they were written as Mr. Desaulnier did them himself. Sometimes cookbook authors (and cooks and bakers in general) have been doing something one way for so long they forget there could be a better way to do it. They also forget their audience may or may not have as much kitchen knowledge and experience as they do.

I myself, take for granted that a lot of people know what I'm talking about when I explain procedures to them. For example, a few months ago I hired a part time assistant to help me with cookie production. I hired him because he had some baking experience in that he worked in a bagel shop for several years. So when I told him to "cream" the butter and sugars together for the cookie dough, he asked me, "What's "cream" mean?" Yipes. That set me straight right away. Creaming isn't a common procedure in the bagel shop........

[alanamoana]

i have a feeling the reason he leaves the chocolate cheesecake in the pan is so that when you pour the ganache on top, it doesn't ooze down the side. it's a matter of aesthetics. but you can do what k8 said, chill both cakes so that they're firm (i wouldn't freeze, there's no real need to do that), pour the ganache on the chocolate one, then unmold the pumpkin one on top. chill again and then unmold the whole thing when it is all firm and stuck together.

[K8memphis]

I just found them difficult or impossible to scoot over or re-adjust if they were just refrigerated. If I didn't set them exactly right and I scooted it over, it just squoshed instead of moving. So I freeze 'em myself.

Edited July 23, 2006 by K8memphis (log)

[chefpeon]

I just found them difficult or impossible to scoot over or re-adjust if they were just refrigerated. If I didn't set them exactly right and I scooted it over, it just squoshed instead of moving. So I freeze 'em myself.

Same here, that's why I freeze them too.

[shacke]

I found a terrific cheesecake recipe I'd like to try. I've made hundreds over the years, all types, flavors and textures, but never a double decker one.

Sugarella and K8MEMPHIS gave me some good advice on how to prep and assemble a double decker cheesecake-- freeze the baked cakes and then assemble,or bake both batters in one pan together.

Now I come across this chocolate pumpkin cheesecake recipe from Marcel Desaulnier's book, "Death by Chocolate" and I'm a bit confused.  Have any of you tried it???

According to the recipe, after baking the cakes in 2 pans simultaneously, and cooling to room temp, he refrigerates the chocolate cheesecake for an hour.  However, he leaves the pumpkin one out at room temp.  After the hour, he pours a ganache over the  cold chocolate cheesecake. He inverts the room temp pumpkin cheesecake (which was NOT baked in a springform pan) on top, wraps  in plastic wrap, and refrigerates  the double decker for a few hours.

  How does the top layer, the pumpkin, come out of the cake pan so soon after being baked, and not fall apart? I've always chilled/frozen mine first.

What's to keep the pumpkin layer from sliding off?

I am obviously missing something here, but can't see what it is. Thanks for your help.

←

I made this so long ago but I loved it and I still love that book. I have a recollection of the bottom layer in springform and plopping the top pumpkin layer on the bottom chocolate layer. Ultimately, it all gets released from the springform and the outside layered with ganache and I think crumbled cookies (those deep dark chocolate cookies are quite quite good).

Can't see how you could go wrong cooling the pumpkin layer first although I am certain I would have followed directions to a T back then.

It will fit snugly in the springform and no it did not slip off (both layers are guarded by the sides of the pan). Upon release, it was chilled and adherent to the bottom layer by its own weight and ganache.

I gotta make that again this thanksgiving......

Evan