Following are 9 Insights For: Does Cheesecake Need To Be Refrigerated. Learn all about the need for cheesecake to be cool, plus much more!
It’s seven o’clock in the evening when you get home from a long day at work. By the time you make dinner for the family, eat and clean up the kitchen it’s already eight o’clock. You realize that tomorrow is Johnny’s birthday, and he requested that you make him a cheesecake this year. He is getting older and hardly ever expresses his interest anymore, so you try your best to make the wishes he expresses a reality. You quickly mix together the chocolate chip cheesecake he requested and place it in the oven to bake. When it is finished baking you place it on a wire rack to cool.
By now it is nearly ten o’clock at night and you are exhausted. You have to be at the office early tomorrow, so you hurry and get ready for bed. Then you fall into bed soon after, feeling exhausted. You are out, as soon as your head touches the pillow. At eleven thirty that night you wake up with a start. You jump up and remember the cheesecake still sitting in the kitchen, on your cooling rack. Leaping out of bed, you gather the now cool cheesecake, wrap it in plastic and place it in the fridge.
Then you make your way back to bed, thinking about your pregnant sister and brother-in-law that are coming for Johnny’s birthday party. You are so excited to see them, it has been a while. You fall asleep wondering if the cheesecake is still safe to eat, or if you just single handedly ruined Johnny’s one request for his birthday tomorrow…
Have you ever stopped to consider does cheesecake need to be refrigerated?
We are going to look at all you need to know about cheesecake. Spoiler alert, you will also discover the best way to maximize flavors, and incidentally you will also learn how to make sure your cheesecake does not spoil.
All You Need To Know About Cheesecake
There’s no dessert quite like cheesecake. It’s so rich and creamy and full of delicious goodness. Our goal is to help answer all of your questions about cheesecake.
Main Ingredients Of Cheesecake
Cheesecakes are loaded full of rich, creamy flavors. All cheesecakes are high in dairy content. As you might be aware, dairy products in general are more susceptible to bacteria and going bad more quickly than other perishable foods might be. Anytime you are cooking or baking with milk or egg products this is something to be aware of.
The original New York style cheesecake for example includes cream cheese, sour cream and eggs. All of which are items that require careful attention. Eggs need to be baked to between 150 and 160F for them to be fully cooked, and milk products require refrigeration. Both egg and milk products must be preserved carefully before and after they have been cooked. Let’s take a look at the fourth insight out of 9 Insights For Does Cheesecake Need To Be Refrigerated.
Does Cheesecake Need To Be Refrigerated
Let’s get down to your main question. Does cheesecake need to be refrigerated? The answer is a resounding,YES! Cheesecake must be refrigerated even after it has been baked. No one enjoys throwing out delicious foods, but if it has been compromised, it is for the best.
Both milk and eggs are high in protein and the moisture that makes cheesecake especially prone to growing bacteria quickly. When bacteria grows on a cheesecake it often results in listeria as well as salmonella – two kinds of bacteria that can have nasty outcomes.
If your cheesecake is left out too long and results in the growth of bacteria, food poising and digestive issues will occur when the cheesecake is consumed. These are not fun things to suffer through, and some people tend to be more susceptible than others depending on their immune system. Effects of food poising can range from flu like symptoms to more serious; it could even result in a visit to the hospital.
While these scenarios are rare, people especially susceptible to sickness are those with lower immune systems in general. People that are of the highest risk are pregnant women, young children, anyone over age 65. The outcome for this group encountering food poising could range from being sick like the flu, to miscarriages for pregnant ladies. The fifth insight out of 9 Insights For Does Cheesecake Need To Be Refrigerated, is a very beneficial one!
How To Avoid Growing Bacteria On Your Cheesecake
In order to avoid your cheesecake growing unwanted bacteria, you should follow these simple steps.
1. Do not allow the cheesecake to sit at room temperature for more than two hours. If sits out longer it could make you and your guests sick; nobody wants that!
2. Anything that has been sitting above 40 degrees for more than two hours must go out.
3. Last, if your cheesecake has been kept above 90 degrees it has a life of 1 hour before goes bad. If you follow this, you will enjoy your cheesecakes deliciousness in peace.
How To Prepare A Cheesecake For Best Results
You have baked your cheesecake and a toothpick in the center comes out clean, now what? Start off by running a clean knife around the edge of your pan. This will help to be sure your ring can be removed when you are ready and not cause any damage to the cheesecake. Then place your cheesecake on a wire rack to cool. This will take about an hour for it to become room temperature. By placing on a wire rack, it allows the heat to leave the cheesecake faster. And when setting on a counter or stovetop, the cheesecake will retain the heat more on the bottom. Cover your cheesecake with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Let your cheesecake chill in the fridge for about 12 hours to get the best results. Your cheesecake should be eaten within 5 to 7 days after baked, if stored in the refrigerator.
By refrigerating your cheesecake, you can actually help it improve in taste and texture. This is why it is best served when it is chilled. Chilling your cheesecake will also help it to set up the best.
Storing your cheesecake in the fridge will help to keep the cheesecake fresh longer. Some great ways to store cheesecake are by keeping it covered with plastic wrap, covering it with foil or using a container with an airtight lid.
Best Way To Bake
The following are our recommended steps to achieve the best results for your cheesecake:
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Insert a sharp knife between the baking pan and the cheesecake. Run the knife around the edge to ensure that your cheesecake comes out clean.
- Place on a wire rack to cool for an hour.
- Wrap securely in plastic wrap.
- Place in the fridge for 12 hours, but be sure to use it before 7 days have passed.
Three Steps For You To Know If Your Cheesecake Is Still Okay To Eat
If you are unsure of your cheesecake, there are three tests for you to put it through to see if it is still good. However, even if your cheesecake passes each one, and it has been sitting out all day, it would still be a good idea for you to throw it out, so as to not chance food poising.
- Texture. The texture of the cheesecake should be creamy and moist. If it is not, or it is dry then it is time to part with your cheesecake.
- Color. The color of your cheesecake should be yellow or off white. This would be for a common cheesecake. If you have another flavor such as strawberry or chocolate, it still applies. Just make sure your treat is not an odd color. If you are beginning to see brown around the edges, it is time for it to go out.
- Smell. If your cheesecake no longer smells delicious to eat, then unfortunately it is time for it to go into the trash.
Is Johnny’s birthday ruined?
Circling back to the story that we started off with. Based on what we have talked about today, is Johnny’s birthday ruined or will he be able to enjoy the special cheesecake that was made for him? Hopefully your answer is that his party is NOT ruined. If his cheesecake was taken out of the oven at ten o’clock, and you remembered it at eleven thirty, it was sitting on the counter for an hour and a half. Based on the recommended two-hour window to sit in room temperature, his cheesecake is in fact, STILL GOOD. Thankfully, his party will go on without any disappointments, and everyone can enjoy the delicious dessert.
How To Store Cheesecake
To store cheesecake in your fridge, it is best to place it in an airtight container or wrap it in plastic wrap to help keep it fresh. If you place it in your fridge without being wrapped or placed in a container, it will not keep as well, nor as long.
If you are not able to eat your cheesecake quickly after baking it, your cheesecake can also be frozen to help it keep longer.
Can I Freeze Cheesecake?
Yes, you can freeze your cheesecake to enjoy at a later date! When you freeze it properly, your cheesecake will last between two to three months in the freezer. To freeze, be sure that it is fully baked, has cooled, you can wrap it securely in plastic or place in an airtight container. For best results, it works well to slice into individual pieces before freezing. Be sure to date it and write the description of what it is, before placing in the freezer. You can store it for up to three months, but you will enjoy the best taste and quality after being frozen only one to two months.
Defrosting Cheesecake
There are two main ways to defrost a cheesecake that has been frozen. The first is to remove it from the freezer and place into the refrigerator. Then let it sit in your fridge overnight to thaw. You can also remove it and place it at room temperature to defrost for 45 to 60 minutes before you serve the cheesecake.
Key Take Away
The last insight for 9 Insights For Does Cheesecake Need To Be Refrigerated? The answer: Yes! It absolutely must be refrigerated.
What is your favorite kind of cheesecake to enjoy? Let us know! We love hearing from you!
In 9 Insights For Does Cheesecake Need To Be Refrigerated, we learned that yes, cheesecakes must be refrigerated even after they have been cooked. This has to do with the main ingredients of cheesecake being dairy. Cheesecake is only good for two hours at the most when left at room temperature.
Check out How to melt peanut butter for a quick and simple idea to top your cheesecake. It is so delicious, especially on a chocolate cheesecake. You might also like our recipe for chocolate chip cheesecake below, this one is delicious and is even topped with chocolate ganache.
Be sure you don’t miss out on these nifty 13 Tart Lemon Extract Substitutes! This post even includes a recipe for homemade lemon extract substitute. Don’t miss out!
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk can
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 tsp flour
- 1 graham cracker crust prepared
Chocolate Glaze
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ¼ cup whipping cream
Graham Cracker Crust
- 16 crackers graham crackers
- ⅓ cup butter
- ¼ cup sugar
Instructions
Cheesecake
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
- In a mixing bowl add cream cheese, beat until fluffy
- While mixer is still going, add in sweetened condensed milk slowly
- Beat cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth
- Add egg and vanilla mix until smooth and well combined
- In a separate bowl mix together chocolate chips and flour until coated
- Stir chocolate chip mixture into cream cheese mixture
- Pour into prepared graham cracker crust
- Bake at 375 for 35 minutes or until center springs back when pressed on lightly
- Place on wire rack to cool
- Once mostly cool top with glaze and refrigerate
- Serve chilled and enjoy!
Chocolate Glaze
- In a small saucepan, combined chocolate chips and whipping cream
- Place saucepan on burner
- Turn to low heat
- Stir continually until melted
- Your glaze will become liquid and chocolate and cream will combine once complete
Graham Cracker Crust
- If you have a food processor place your graham crackers in this and pulse until finely crushed. If you do not have a food processor you can place crackers into a zip lock bag and use a rolling pin on the crackers to crush them up.
- Place butter in microwave for 30 – 45 seconds to melt completely
- Add butter and sugar to crushed graham crackers
- Mix thoroughly
- Spray baking dish with cooking spray
- Add crushed cracker mixture and pat around the bottom and edge to form a crust
- Chill about 1 hour until firm OR bake at 375 degrees for 4 to 5 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on wire rack before filling.
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