Wretched Flavor Combination

For my second cheesecake I wanted to do something fun. In the spirit of Christmas, I decided to combine two classic holiday flavors: Eggnog and peppermint! (On a side note, I don't actually enjoy either of the two but I wanted to be FESTIVE.)

Eggnog Cheesecake

with Candy Canes

So as you might be able to tell if you actually read this, there is no cooking instructions, which turned out to be quite a problem. I had to google other instructions, but I couldn't find the exact recipe, making the cooking time a bit off. 

Dilemma 1: Baking

After baking the cheesecake, you are always supposed to leave it in the oven when it is turned off for an hour. "This step and the two that follows allow for the cake to cool to a room temperature gently, preventing cracking" (Schulman 133). By letting the cheesecake cool down gradually and keeping it untouched while it settles, the surface of the cheesecake won't be as cracked. I tried to do this and it worked, I guess. After leaving the cheesecake the off oven for an hour, the cheesecake had no gaping crevices in it. In my last cheesecake, there was a big ol' crack on the side. However, the state of the surface of the cheesecake was not really improved. Cheesecakes look very different while they bake compared to after they are cooled off. When I checked to see (and guess) if the cheesecake was done or not, it looked fine, but an hour later after it was cooled, it obviously was not fully cooked. By that point, reheating the oven and cooking it more would not improve the looks of my cheesecake. On the bright side, the surface of the cheesecake wasn't cracked, just deflated and soggy.

My first cheesecake. Notice that big crack on the left side?

Before dumping on Candy Cane dust to cover up the grossness. Notice there are no wide splits?

 Dilemma 2: Cutting

The book I read explains that to get the most smooth cut with even sides, it is best to freeze the cheesecakes before cutting them (Schulman 76). After keeping the cheesecake in the fridge for a few hours, I tried to cut a slice of the cheesecake. The thing was still warmish when I tried to cut it, and it fell apart very easily. Taking the book's advice, I put the cheesecake in the freezer overnight. My knife got stuck a couple times but it cut way more cleanly. The slice of cheesecake was way more stiff (duh it's frozen) and it even tasted better. The advice from my book greatly improved the presentation of my slice and even the texture.

Cut while it was room temperature. Look at that floppy soggy piece of disappointment moistened with my tears.

Cut after being frozen in my freezer and completely untouched (because after one tiny nibble my family decided they had tried enough). Can you say aesthetic?

Overall: Maybe some things can be too festive. Combining eggnog and peppermint was not the best idea, especially because adding the chunks of candy canes before baking made the surface icky and look like puke.
Pros:

• Ummmm
• Thinking...
• The crushed up candy canes on the top looked good?
• The graham cracker crust tasted decent (the best part!)

Cons (Prison Break got me like):

• Smelled putrid
• Tasted nasty
• Made me gag
• It was so under-cooked
• Really grainy
• Looked gross without extra candy-canes on the top
• Wretched soggy texture

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Question:

What is your favorite holiday flavor or food?
Would you enjoy some eggnog peppermint cheesecake? I have plenty of extra...

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Schulman, Maureen, Tara Lane, Diana Moles, and Jolene Worthington. The Eli's Cheesecake Cookbook. N.p.: Eli's Cheesecake, 2015. Print.

Posted by Kierra Long