Don't Fear the Curd

Spring form pans? Curd? Ginger Root and fine mesh sieves?  What have I gotten myself into? I'm a newbie at making cheesecake, so didn't know the language associated until I tried one last weekend from a recipe out of Food Network Mag, "Try Cheesecake in a Whole New Form." I thought a springform pan might resemble a couple of bed springs supporting a metal baking disk.  Once I did an image search it dawned on me that the hinge wrapped along the side of a real – not imaginary – springform tightens the circular upper pan to a bottom platform piece.

The 2-piece contraption first of all sets tightly a perfect mold shape for a cake mixture of a bunch of cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and graham cracker crust that would just flop or crumble without the round.  The reason for the hinge is to prevent water seepage in case the cheesecake recipe calls for a 'water bath.'  Apparently a common way to cook cheesecake is gradually, by way of water in a larger pan.  I read that often, over time, this hinged connection will lose its seal and bakers will wrap a large single piece of foil under and around the bottom to prevent water from getting to the cake.  Once the pan is finally understood, it's time to pour the stuff into it – the yellow stuff that, if done right, ends up being the wonderful thick rich texture impossible to duplicate in any other kind of food that I know of.  The question for this recipe became whether or not potential eaters would go for the lemon-ginger 'curd' – a thin top layer of ultra-zingy cream, sugar, lemons, and grated, de-pulped ginger for its juice.

I smothered half a cake with, and half without, and let the taste buds fall where they may.  Carly tried one thin slice of the non curd. "This is good, but what is that?" she asked pointing at the bowl of sunny whipped curd. "I better try that to see which is best."  Carly thumbs up.  Abby and her two buddies, "that was delish." Jan and two friends have voted that I continue on in the great struggle for cheesecake perfection.