in a thick cast iron pan or passes through infrared-transparent glass than is transmitted by thin stainless steel So in a moderate oven, a cast-iron water bath may reach 195ºF/87ºC, a glass bath 185ºF/ 83ºC, and a stainless one 180ºF/80ºC If the pans are covered with foil, then evaporative cooling is prevented, and all of them will come to a full boil Custards are tenderest when heated gently, and so are best cooked in an open water bath — one, however, that is sure to reach at least 185ºF; otherwise the mix may never completely set Many cooks take the precaution of folding a kitchen towel in the bottom of the water bath so that the custard cups or dish won’t be in direct contact with the hot pan, but this can backfire: the towel prevents the water from circulating under the cups, so the water trapped there reaches the boil and rocks the cups around A wire rack works better Cheesecake We don’t ordinarily think of cheesecake as a custard, probably because the presence of eggs is masked by the richness of the filling they bind together, which is some combination of ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, and butter The proportions for cheesecake are similar to those for other custards, approaching 1 egg per cup/250 ml of filling, though the greater richness and tartness of the filling demand more sugar for balance, around 4 tablespoons per cup (60 gm per 250 ml) instead of 2 Flour or cornstarch is sometimes included to stabilize the gel and, in the case of ricotta cheesecakes, to absorb water that may be released from the fresh cheese The thick texture and high fat content of cheesecake filling necessitate more delicate treatment than a standard custard Instead of a preliminary cooking on the stovetop, the sugar is first mixed into the cream ingredients, and the eggs then incorporated along with other ...Cheesecake We don’t ordinarily think of cheesecake as a custard, probably because the presence of eggs is masked by the richness of the filling they bind together, which is some combination of ricotta cheese, cream cheese,... sour cream, heavy cream, and butter The proportions for cheesecake are similar to those for other custards, approaching 1 egg per cup/250 ml of filling, though the greater richness and tartness of the filling demand... released from the fresh cheese The thick texture and high fat content of cheesecake filling necessitate more delicate treatment than a standard custard Instead of a preliminary cooking on the stovetop, the sugar