Making heart shaped cheesecake

[Rhueless]

Hey this year for Feb.14 I thought it would be fun to try something new.

I want to make heart shaped cheesecakes, coated in a chocolate ganache. I've tried making cheesecake bars before and just cutting out heart shapes, but I found seperating them off the pan painful.

This year I have a silicone pan with heart shaped molds. I thought I would try several methods, like putting muslim cloth into the mold then pressing a cheesecake mixture straight in, or rolling pate sucree reeaaly thin and wrapping the edges of the pastry right around the cheescake. Anyone out there have any suggestions on how I can make my dreams of small heart shaped cheesecakes come true without resorting to a spring form pan?

(Good recipes's are simple, fun recipes take work)

[Myron]

I don't believe I'd try lining the silicone pan. I'd expect the impression of the material used to line the pan would affect the appearance of the cheesecake's exterior. I'm assuming this is NOT a "no bake" cheesecake. Using a spring form pan eliminates the need to invert the prepared dessert to remove it from the pan. With a silicone pan you'd have to expect to invert the finished cheesecake then invert it once more to place it on a serving platter. That's a lot of activity for a delicate cheesecake. But it's worth a try. Because silicone pans aren't lubricated (most of the instructions I've read for them advise against using non-stick sprays, etc.) I might try using a graham cracker crust in place before adding the cheesecake mixture for baking. You've got enough time between now and Feb. 14th. Give it a try. You may have a wreck but don't let that stop you.

[aguynamedrobert]

I have done one heart shaped cheesecake before. I just have a metal cake pan shaped as a heart. I lined the bottom of the cake pan with parchment paper(cut into the heart shape)...put the grahm cracker crust down on that(little butter below the crust, just a little). Then I put my batter in and cooked...it poped out nice and looked beautiful...

Good question...is this a bake or no bake? A no bake would be hard to get out and not mess up when using a normal cake pan...

Robert
www.chocolateguild.com

[Rhueless]

Well in answer to your questions the cheesecake is definitly going to not be non-bake.
I actually did just make a cheesecake on a flat cookie pan last year, however I found trying to cut the cheesecake into heart shape's and move them without breaking them very difficult.

[foodpump]

Trot off to a Bakery supply store and get heart shaped rings. Basically just a strip of alum or s/s bent into a heart shape, no bottom. Lay this on a flat sheet pan, add your prepared bottom. When cold slide a cake base underneath it, take it off the pan, run a paring knife around the ring, and lift the ring off.

If you're going to go through all this trouble I really want to suggest that you do a baked or a poached version. Huge difference that is appreciated by most everybody.

[skwilliams]

I was just wondering if the silicone hearts worked for your cheesecakes? I was hoping to give that a try to use for my wedding.

[ShoeMaker]

Originally Posted by foodpump

If you're going to go through all this trouble I really want to suggest that you do a baked or a poached version. Huge difference that is appreciated by most everybody.

Indeed I've not had much problem cutting "shapes" from baked cheesecake, as long as it's relatively shallow cake (sheetpan, as opposed to cake pan depth) and thoroughly refridgerated.....dip the cutter in hot H2O, cut, and remove scraps from around the outside of cutter before trying to move it. Granted, there's waste involved, but ..... depends on how much one wants to sacrifice to achieve desired results.
I have no experience with "no bake" cheesecake, so.....dunno what else to say . Ganache coated heart-shaped cheesecake sounds quite nice

[kuan]

Use a heart shaped pan. To get it out, first run your paring knife around the edge to release, then warm the bottom over an open flame. Run the knife again. Tip it over onto a safe surface. Check for metal shavings.