[Sca-cooks] Cheesecake crusts, was Re: s'mores?

[Saint Phlip]

Adamantius and Huette were discussing cheesecake crusts, and variations, below.

As I mentioned, before I left on my summer activities, I had been
experimenting with cheese cake, and since Margali doesn't like graham
crackers either, I made her one crust with ginger snaps. For my savory
cheesecake, I used crushed tortilla chips. I think pretty much and
crumbable cookie, cracker, or chip could make a good crust, if its
flavors are balanced with the flavors of your cheesecake- I found it
well worth my while to experiment.

I rather like Huette's suggestion of crushed nuts, although it strikes
me that they'd be awfully rich and dense- the cheesecake itself is
rich enough ;-) But, they might make a very nice addition to a
cookie-type crust, or even a savory type, with the right balance of
ingredients.

On 8/31/06, Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius
<adamantius.magister at verizon.net> wrote:
>
> On Aug 31, 2006, at 6:32 AM, Huette von Ahrens wrote:
>
> I've never been a fan, either. For cheese cakes I'd use a short crust
> or a sweetened tart dough as the more traditional liner (and
> sometimes I don't even bother with a liner at all, and just use a
> circle of parchment paper). In European baking you sometimes see
> genoise cake crumbs used in this way, although not quite as
> aggressively as here in the US. I suspect that in Europe it's about
> using up stale cake, whereas here it could be equal parts frugality,
> laziness, and a desire to not have the oven lit any more than
> necessary (there are cheesecakes and various other custardy-type
> entities served in Graham Cracker crusts that aren't baked after
> final assembly).
>
> I was shocked to find recently that the cheesecake at Junior's, a
> diner/bakery of Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, alleged by some to be the
> finest commercially produced cheesecake (of this particular style) in
> New York, and therefore on the planet (I have always been a proponent
> of the Lindy's style for this honor) is now made with a thin disk of
> yellow sponge cake as its base.
>
> > When I make cheesecake, I usually make a nut crust.  Depending on
> > what I have on
> > hand, either pecans, walnuts, filberts or macadamias.  I haven't
> > done almond or pistachio
> > yet, but they are next on my list to try.
>
> I suspect the almonds would be great. On a tangential note, I just
> found a recipe for, and prepared, an Italian-type almond macaroon in
> a sugar-free version that was really quite outstanding, and quite
> simple, too (apart from some slightly obscure artificial sweeteners
> which one might easily have on hand if one is committed to the sugar-
> free thing). I mean, these weren't something you'd qualify by saying
> they were quite good considering they were sugarless. They were just
> plain good. I was pretty shocked.
>
> Adamantius
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-- 
Saint Phlip

Heat it up
Hit it hard
Repent as necessary.

Has anyone seen my temper?
I seem to have misplaced it at Stalag XXXV....