How Cold Cream Cheese Will Ruin Your No-Bake Cheesecake
Cheesecake is meant to be creamy, smooth, and delicious. If it turns out differently, it is a big disappointment. Whether baking a cheesecake or trying the no-bake method, cheesecakes are expected to taste a particular way. The dessert relies heavily on its cream cheese base to provide the flavor and texture you'd expect from the cool, velvety cheesecake.
But cheesecake isn't solely made with cream cheese. It can be made with ricotta, sour cream, and quark as well (via Femina). Each filling offers the same delectable, creamy texture yet a slightly different flavor. The crust you choose for your cheesecake also alters the dessert's taste.
Cheesecake is served cold, so why is using cold cream cheese to make a no-bake cheesecake such a big deal? After all, the cake will be refrigerated, right? There is a crucial reason why cold cream cheese will ruin your no-bake cake. Keep scrolling to find out why.
Cold cream cheese causes lumps
According to The Kitchn, cream cheese should be room temperature before mixing it into the cheesecake. Whipping cold cream cheese causes lumps in the cake's texture. Instead, remove the cream cheese at least an hour before you're ready to use it to ensure it has reached room temperature. Then, unwrap the cream cheese and cut it into cubes to save time in the cooking process.
Simply Recipes recommends their method for softening cream cheese. The site says to spread the cream cheese onto a plate, then cover it with plastic wrap. Set the plate near a warm oven or another warm area for a few minutes. Then, scrape the cream cheese off the plate and spread it out again. Repeat this process a few times until the cream cheese is the consistency or temperature you desire.
Taste of Home agrees with not using cold ingredients. In fact, the site also recommends softening the butter and placing the eggs in a warm water bath before cracking them. Doing this takes the chill off the eggs and allows all ingredients to blend to smooth cheesecake perfection.