I promised you all a peek at the pan I used to make those small cheesecakes, so here it is. As you’ll see, it is non-stick and has little removable bottoms for each of the 12 holes. I’ll offer a word of caution here – based on recent experience. DO NOT forget to remove those metal disks before you serve. I had the embarrassing task of asking for one of those back after I noticed it sitting on the plate of a co-worker who had just finished one of the cheesecakes. I apologized and explained that I had thought I had removed all of those prior to serving – to which he responded “Yeah, I thought it was weird that I kept hitting something hard at the bottom when I dug my fork into the cheesecake.” Ugh!!
So back to this beautiful pan. It’s really easy to remove the cheesecakes once they’ve chilled overnight. Just take your thumbs and gently push up from the bottom, coaxing around all edges. I started off by running a small knife around the edges before pushing them out but found it unnecessary….plus it ruined the smooth edges of the little cakes. Just be gentle and they will come out perfectly for you.
The pan is from a company called Norpro and can be found here for $21.95 each. A bit pricey, but the resulting dessert is worth it in my opinion.
Side Dish
This week begins Sticky Bun Fest 2005. (Get those minds out of the gutter. This has nothing to do with lusty coeds and honey.) I’m planning on making many batches of my famous Brioche Pecan Rolls, and have a new ingredient to try. I’ve heard a lot about Plugra and I want to see if it makes a difference. Plugra is “European Style” butter. Why Plugra? Well, it’s about butterfat content. And appropriately, I’ve read that Plugra means "more fat" in French. (Mlle. Amanda will be so proud!) I’ve also read that butterfat is tremendously important for taste, texture, and workability. Whatever isn't butterfat in butter is mostly water, and water is not what will make a crust or pastry taste luscious. By law, American butters must contain no less than 80% butterfat. In France, the law stipulates a minimum butterfat content of 82%. Each percentage point of fat makes a difference, so you can imagine the difference you'll taste with French butters - they have a minimum of 84% butterfat, but often weigh in at 86%. We’ll see if the taste difference is notable.
Check back for photos and descriptions of the Sticky Bun Fest.
2 comments:
You can purchase this butter online 1800gourmet.com
Yes, I can vouch for the yummy fat content of French butter. On my "jours de fromage" I always bring in Président butter to smooth on with the cheese and the students are shocked at the difference. Now how do those French people stay so thin?
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