Are you craving something that melts right into your mouth? Nothing will do it better than a cheesecake.
If you’ve ever made one, you’d know the struggle that goes into creating the perfect texture. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to finish a full-sized cake in one sitting.
That is when you ask yourself, “Can you refreeze a cheesecake?” For this reason, we’ve prepared this short yet detailed guide to help you get to the crux of it.
Fortunately, you can, but only if it isn’t defrosted on the countertop.
While re-freezing is possible, it isn’t without its consequences. It can take a toll on the texture and taste altogether.
You may also find it much less desirable to eat the more you re-freeze it. It is recommended that you re-freeze it a short while after refilling it. This way, the overall quality will stay intact.
Here are some steps you can follow to ensure that your cheesecake is re-frozen securely.
While you can significantly increase a cheesecake’s shelf-life by re-freezing it, you can’t always protect it from going bad.
Sooner or later, it will lose that original freshness. At this point, it’s essential to recognize some signs and avoid eating the cake.
If your cream cheese has gone bad, it will likely taste sourer than it should. Fresh cream cheese is usually milky and has a very light texture.
Use your gift of sight and look out for the creamy white color. If it isn’t there or if it has turned yellow, you do not want to eat it. Instead, you want to look for patches of grey, green or blue mold on it because it is likely that your cream cheese has gone bad.
Tasting it will put everything out in the open. You might not see any visual signs of your cream cheese going bad, but if it doesn’t taste well, you’ll know it.
You’ll notice a hint of dryness and chalkiness in a cream cheese that isn’t fresh. On the other hand, fresh cream cheese will be creamy, smooth, and silky.
All in all, good cream cheese will never have that pungent, sour, or strong flavor.
It will be light and subtle on your digestive system. However, sometimes it’s nothing but the inner voice telling you that something isn’t right. When your inner voice tells you that, don’t ignore it and get rid of the cheesecake immediately.
In a nutshell, yes, you can, but only if you have been careful enough during the wrapping and storing stage. Your cheesecake can remain safe even after six months of re-freezing it, but it won’t guarantee the same quality.
Over time, cheesecakes are bound to lose their moisture, texture, and even taste. The crust can get mushy, and the overall quality can deteriorate, especially if you re-freeze it after filling it.
It is also best that you avoid using too many ingredients to refill it because the chances of them getting spoiled increase significantly. As a rule of thumb, try not to re-freeze a cheesecake repeatedly.
Even if you do it more than once, the cream will crumble. Nonetheless, stick to the practice of re-freezing in batches and portions instead of freezing the whole of it.
It’s important to remember that even the best cheesecake has its limits. Not everything can be re-frozen in every circumstance.
The U.S Department of Agriculture has specified some rules that make a cheesecake a good candidate for re-freezing (1). One of those conditions requires the cake to feel cold as if you had taken it out of a refrigerator.
If crystallization remains from the last round of freezing, a cheesecake is eligible for the next round. However, if our thawed cheesecake is placed at a temperature higher than 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s time to throw it away.
You must take the time factor into account as well.
The temperature alone won’t determine whether you can freeze your cheesecake again. If it has been sitting out for over two hours in a less than ideal temperature, you can’t re-freeze it.
One of the integral ingredients of cheesecake is cream cheese.
The product stands out for its taste more than it does for its shelf life. This is why eating a fresh cheesecake is always in your best interests.
So, what happens if you end up consuming a spoiled cheesecake?
A lot of people aren’t able to detect what’s wrong with their cake until it’s too late.
This is because cream cheese, in essence, is sour milk. Hence, the sourness doesn’t help them determine whether cream cheese is spoiled or not.
Despite the pasteurizing of dairy products, there is no guarantee that the germs won’t attack them.
A small amount of spoiled cheesecake won’t do much harm. But, if you have gulped down a huge chunk of it, get ready to experience some ugly digestion issues.
You can undergo various symptoms, from stomach cramps and vomiting to nausea and diarrhea (2).
The good news is that the stated symptoms don’t last long and often go away on their own.
The best thing you can do is keep yourself hydrated. Avoid using any medication that hasn’t been prescribed by a professional, and if the symptoms last longer than a day or two, you might want to get them checked out.
Re-freezing room temperature defrosted cheesecake is impossible because it attracts and harbors bacteria once it gets warm.
When that happens, re-freezing becomes quite a hassle. Yet, you can still keep it in the fridge for three to five days.
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Cheesecake is one of the most sought-after desserts in the world, and for a good reason. It’s light on the body and is also easy to make.
You won’t have to break your bank to get its ingredients; it will undoubtedly be worth the effort.
However, there are also downsides to it.
The shelf life of a cheesecake is much less than other types of cakes. You will have to pay close attention to the taste and texture to determine whether it has gone bad.
Cream cheese doesn’t often stand the test of time well.
Sometimes, it won’t be noticeable, and that’s when you must rely on your gut instincts. All in all, the answer to the question, “can you re-freeze a cheesecake?” is yes, you can but only under the conditions stated above.
If you must re-freeze it, make sure not to do it more than once.
You shouldn’t re-freeze cheesecake the second time after you have refilled it. Doing so will affect its texture and taste as most of the water content is lost.
The consistency, texture, and flavor can suffer due to re-freezing. You’ll notice a lack of freshness in the cake and also some unwanted watery texture. It may also appear deflated.
Most cheesecakes will easily last for a week or two without refilling or re-freezing. If you re-freeze it after using fresh ingredients for the refilling, then it may last up to eight months.
It highly depends on how you make them. Store-bought cheesecakes may have soy, milk, egg, and wheat allergens. They may also contain hints of nuts or peanuts, which may be unsuitable for people with allergies to nuts and peanuts.
Thaw the right proportions and keep them in the chiller for at least an hour before you consume them. Wrapping and freezing will also ensure longer shelf life, given that you’ve stored them at the right temperature. Ideally, it should be -18°C.
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