So I flunk Cheesecake
Today and yesterday Tirzah and I spent some major time working on snowflakes. We went to the mart of walls and got some plastic drawers to keep the snowflakes in to try and keep the stupid cat from going after the snowflakes. I swear that cat is a reincarnated sugar addict. He goes after royal icing and coffee. It doesn't matter where the snowflakes are if he can reach them he goes after them.
When we were in Resturant Depot the other day I got myself a container of Mascarpone cheese. I've been trying to figure out what to do with it without getting around to making Tiramsu. I want to do that at some point but right now is not the time. While I was looking through Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri I found a recipe for "Shari's Individual Mascapone Cheesecakes" it sounded really good but I didn't have the cups to make them individual. So I made a nine inch version instead and filled some of the little gharam cracker crust mini tart shells that I had left from when I was going to make pumpkin pies but didn't earlier this fall. The little ones seemed to come out well but the big one never really got solid in the middle. Right now I have it in the fridge to see how it chills but I'm not going to take it into work like I planned. It's too brown on top and I'm not sure it's cooked as well as I want it to be. Maybe the next one. Neil says that I had the oven set too high. That is probably true. I cleaned the oven today to get ready for FL's cake and I'm used to it heating about 50 degrees low. It probably got too hot.
Shair's Individual Mascarpone Cheesecakes
2 lbs cream cheese, softened
2 1/4 cups sugar
18 ounches (1 3/4 cups) mascarpone, softened
7 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Eighteen to twenty-one 4-ounce aluminum foil cups, buttered and bottoms lined with buttered parchment or wax paper; a shallow roasting pan large enough to hold the cups
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees.
In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth. Add the mascarpone and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl and beater often. Beat in the vanilla.
Place the prepared molds in the roasting pan and fill the molds to within 1/2 inch of the top. Pour about an inch of warm water into the pan
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cakes are no longer liquid in the center
Turn off the oven and leave door ajar. Cool the cheesecakes in the oven for about 30 minutes, then chill the cheesecakes until firm.
To unmold, invert and remove the cups and paper.
Serving: Serve with sliced sugared strawberries or raspberries or a combination.
Storage: Wrap leftovers in plastic and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
