Item #18 – Make a Cheesecake… Successfully
40 Things for 40 Years in 40 Weeks: Item #18 (Cooking Goals) – Make a Cheesecake… Successfully
I had a series of failed pumpkin pie making attempts that lasted about 7 Thanksgiving seasons including the very traumatic episode where upon the pie flipped over and literally made a “splat” sound just outside the oven while we were living in temporary housing. It was our first Thanksgiving living in Seattle and it was such a sad moment. Thankfully that curse has been resolved however I also have not had great luck making cheesecake from scratch over the years. So in the spirit of redemption in all things baking, making a cheesecake successfully became item #18 on my list.
My first attempt at making a cheesecake almost 10 years ago was for a friend’s birthday and it was a complete disaster. Unbeknownst to me, my oven had an ignitor that was burned out and I was unaware that it wasn’t heating to the right temperature. I cooked it for what seemed like forever and it never firmed up as it should. I finally had to serve it “less than firm” let’s just say and they graciously ate it despite it not being cooked well. Hopefully I didn’t poison anyone at that dinner. My subsequent attempts have also been mediocre. Although the oven issue was long ago resolved, I have also had other problems including leaky spring form pans resulting in mushy graham cracker crusts, etc.
I decided yesterday was the day to turn this cheesecake curse around! First the recipe. I knew I had to go back to try and make my favorite cheesecake of all time – vanilla cheesecake with an Amaretti cookie crust. This was a recipe that I got from a wonderful pastry chef that I used to work with at an Italian restaurant. Using her recipes always reminds me of my time working there. After some additional research on cheesecake making, an online course and an Alton Brown video tutorial – I tossed the stupid leaking spring form pan aside, got out my cake pan and parchment paper and went for it.
The baking gods were with me yesterday… and my children were not… so this made for the perfect combination in order to create it. It turned out perfect, tasted delicious and better yet – I got to enjoy it with my husband and kids as well. It took me back to my days at the restaurant and made me think of all the wonderful people I met and worked with during my time there including those that we have lost recently. Hope I made you proud Amy with the execution of your recipe (finally!) and thank you for sharing your recipes with me! Buon appetito!
And so that completes #18 on my list. 8 items checked off the list and 32 to go! Stay tuned for more… #40for40in40