Cranberry cheesecake recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does adding an extra egg to cheesecake do? ›

Eggs: Three whole eggs hold the cheesecake together. I also add an extra yolk, which enhances the cake's velvety texture. (Whites tend to lighten the cake, which is actually fine — if you don't feel like separating that fourth egg and don't mind some extra airiness in the texture, just add in the whole egg.)

Cheesecake is clearly a different animal from bundts or cupcakes, but sour cream has a place here too! Combined with even more densely rich cream cheese, sour cream actually tempers the star ingredient a touch, softening its texture. It also adds another layer of tangy flavor and moisture to a cheesecake.

I simply added about a half cup of the cranberry juice for flavor and texture, ½ cup sugar, the berries and zest of 2 tangerines. You could use lemon too, but I don't think orange would work.

The cake will not set properly if there is no egg in the preparation, and you will just have a cream cheese pudding. As delicious as cream cheese pudding sounds, it's actually more like buttercream.

The addition of cream gives a velvety, smooth texture, but too much of it and you begin to mask the cream cheese flavor. Sour cream supports the underlying tang of the cream cheese, but, if overdone, it takes over as the dominant flavor. You need a little of each -- cream for texture and sour cream for flavor.

Is Cheesecake a pie? When baked in a pie pan, like in this recipe, a cheesecake could be considered a pie. What happens if you put too much sour cream in cheesecake? Sour cream adds tanginess and moisture, so if you use too much, it can make the cheesecake too tangy and the additional moisture can make it runny.

A lot of people use sour cream to give cheesecakes a fluffy, smooth texture. Sour cream helps break up the dense cream cheese. However, you can use yogurt to substitute for sour cream. Plus it's much healthier!

Avoid Overcooking

DON'T overbake. Overbaking a cheesecake can cause cracks on the surface.

When you shake the pan and a 2 in (5.1 cm) area in the center jiggles slightly, the cheesecake is done. If there is a large, jiggly area, or if liquid breaks the surface or sloshes over the edges of the pan, the cheesecake is not finished cooking.

Doneness Test

Unlike with a standard cake, it is not recommended that you poke a cheesecake with a toothpick to see if it is done. In fact, a cheesecake is done before it looks done. The edges should be set, but the center will still be soft. Give the pan a little jiggle; the center few inches should still move a bit.

Can diabetics eat cranberries? ›

Most cranberry products contain added sugar because unsweetened cranberries are quite sour and hard to eat without a little bit of sweetener. As a person with diabetes, it's extra important to read labels to choose cranberry products with the least amount of added sugar.

Though you can enjoy cranberry juice in moderation with diabetes, it's still important to pay attention to your blood sugar levels. If you have any concerns about managing your blood sugar, speak with your healthcare professional.

Don't add a mix that has carbs and you can remain alcohol carb free - for example, rum mixed with diet co*ke or vodka and sugar-free cranberry juice. Wine or hard alcohol in moderation will not dramatically influence your glucose levels, she says.

Because eggs help build the cake's structure (don't use them and you're looking at a gooey mess), adding an extra egg yolk makes the cake batter denser. Translation: you'll have a moister confection. Conversely, she suggests an extra egg white for a fluffier cake.

The thing about adding eggs is that, as in other cakes, they help the cheesecake rise. However, if you add them in right at the start of mixing the filling, you run the risk of injecting too much air into the mix. You can mix the cream cheese and sugar together without having any effect on the texture of the filling.

Eggs are responsible for giving baked goods structure, which means the amount you use directly affects the resulting texture. Using too few eggs will make your desserts dense, but using too many will make them rubbery. The explanation for this lies in the fact that eggs are made up of protein.

Why is my cheesecake not fluffy? The airy texture comes from the folding of whipped egg whites through the batter. However, if the egg whites are not folded properly it can result in a dense cake. If you under-mix the egg whites into the batter you will have a cake with a dense bottom and light top.