How to make a non-salty cheesecake?
There are lots of American cheese cake recipes which call for cream cheese. And I don't know about cream cheese in the USA, but in Europe, cream cheese is salted. It may be not as salty as, say, feta, but the salt is definitely noticeable. As a result, my cheesecake's taste is a combination of sweet and salty.
Do you have any ideas how to solve the problem? Of course, it would be perfect if you can tell me a brand of cream cheese without salt which I can get in Germany. But if not, I would like to hear ideas about how to make the salt less noticeable. Adding more sugar or using a different kind of cheese (e.g. mascarpone) are not an option. Or if it is normal for a cheesecake to taste that way (I have never eaten a genuine American cheesecake), please tell me so I can stop worrying about my cakes.
Also, I have observed that a cheesecake tastes less salty after a day or two. Is this real, or just my imagination (or me getting accustomed to the taste)? If true, what causes this to happen?
Best Answer
I would 'cut' a standard cream cheese like Philadelphia with mascarpone, which is essentially triple cream with a cream cheese-like texture.
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How do you remove salt from cream cheese?
How to Cut Saltiness & Fix Salty FoodWhy is my cream cheese salty?
Anything above is considered double or triple cream cheese. In German, it is also called Doppelrhamstufel meaning cheese made with "double cream". The cheese has a mildly lactic aroma and a slightly salty taste. Cream cheese is firmed with the use of lactic acid and so needs to be consumed fresh.What is the difference between New York style cheesecake and regular cheesecake?
Regular cheesecake relies on heavy cream and sour cream to thin the batter and create a silkier, creamier texture. New York cheesecake is heavy on the cream cheese which is why it's so dense and rich. Extra cream cheese isn't the only thing that makes New York cheesecake so special.Does cheesecake taste salty?
The reason cheesecake doesn't taste like cheese for you, is probably because it is loaded with sugar, and you are used to thinking of cheese as salty and savory rather than sweet. Cheesecake tastes very much like cream cheese, with a sweet and slightly tangy finish.No Bake Salted Caramel Cheesecake Recipe | No Bake Cheesecake Recipe
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Answer 2
As Katie mentions, Neufchatel is a good substitute. Granted, what follows is just based on the sodium content, and may or may not account for the extent to which the cheese tastes "salty"; however, I think if you play around with other brands you may find the right one.
Philadelphia Cream Cheese is generally marketed as the essential Cheesecake making cream cheese for Americans; but if it tastes salty here is some nutritional data:
- There are 125mg sodium per ounce of cream cheese, Philadelphia brand. Their "1/3 Less Fat" and fat free varieties have 120mg and 190mg, respectively. Their "Light Cream Cheese" spread has only 66mg (in 25g, 28g/oz). So building a Philadelphia Cheesecake may not be the best brand.
However, for 2 tablespoons you have other brands to consider:
- Very Low Sodium – 35mg or less:
- Nancy's (35mg)
- Low Sodium – 140mg or less:
- Bruegger's: Plain (85mg), Plain, Light (90mg)
- Lucerne (Safeway) Whipped, 2 tbsp (65mg)
- Morning Select Whipped, 2 tbsp (60mg)
- Mozzarella Co — has an unsalted and lightly salted cream cheese
- Richfood Whipped, 2 tbsp (65mg)
- TempTee Soft, 2 tbsp (70mg)
- Low Sodium – 140mg or less:
- Bruegger's: Strawberry (70mg), Honey Walnut (85mg), Wildberry (85mg)
- Crystal Farms Blueberry or Raspberry (100mg)
- Marzetti Fruit Dip (85mg)
- Philadelphia: [Whipped] Cinnamon 'n Brown Sugar (55mg), Mixed Berry (55mg), Blueberry (110mg), Swirls Peaches 'n Cream (110mg)
Hopefully they have any of those brands in Germany for you.
As for masking the saltiness of the cheese itself, you might try a variant on your crust. I do not know if you use a standard pastry crust or not, but a graham cracker or oreo crust might go a good distance to distracting those salt buds by making a raucous for the sweet buds. I am thinking of spartan solutions, so trying to avoid veering too far away from a plain cheesecake, no toppings added.
Also, are you using unsalted butter in the recipe? You could try using a less processed sugar if you are using white sugar, or switching out the white sugar entirely for an alternative sweetener that is subtle enough to match; I am thinking that despite it's nosiness, honey might make for a decent pairing as it has a bit of mouth feel to distract from the salt.
Answer 3
You'll have to make your own cream cheese from scratch. It's a hassle to make, but you get to control what goes into your cheesecake.
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