toilets and cheesecake
tonight is a night to remember.it is the first time i have attempted to and successfully fixed a leaking toilet.
see what happens is after years of use the wax seal that binds the waste pipe to the toilet breaks. so you have to replace it. replacing it involves removing the toilet from the waste pipe (so that's what it looks and smells like!) cleaning the floor and toilet surfaces from any old wax - and other gunk! - and then putting a new wax ring and bolts in place around the waste pipe. then you carefully line the holes in the base of the toilet up with the bolts and gently set the toilet back in place. then you have someone who weighs a good bit - like a husband - sit on the toilet and rock gently back and forth to sqoosh the wax so that it fills up all the crevices in between it and the waste pipe. then you gently screw the lock washers onto the bolts. not too tight though, you might crack the porcelain!
tonight is also the night when i baked my first cheesecake.
first you wash your hands - just in case you had been fixing toilets earlier. then you follow this recipe:
Crumb Crust
2 cups finely ground graham crackers (about 30 squares)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
In a mixing bowl, combine the crust ingredients together with a fork until evenly moistened. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray. Firmly press the mixture over the bottom and 1-inch up the sides on the pan, use your fingers or the smooth bottom of a glass. Refrigerate the crust while preparing the filling.
Filling
2 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 lemon, zest finely grated
1 pint sour cream
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on low speed for 1 minute just until smooth and free of any lumps. Gradually add the sugar and beat until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to slowly beat until combined. Stir in the vanilla and lemon zest. Blend in the sour cream. The batter should be well mixed but not overbeaten. Overbeating incorporates too much air and will cause the cake to puff when baking, then fall and crack when cooling. Pour filling into the crust-lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Set the pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up the sides. This will prevent water from seeping into the seams of the springform pan. Carefully set the cake pan in a larger roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 45 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle, it will firm up after chilling. Be careful not to overcook! Do not do a toothpick test in the cake's center, this will make a crack. Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the inside rim. Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours to set up. Demold and transfer to a cake plate. Slice the cheesecake with a thin, nonserrated knife that has been dipped in hot water and wiped dry after each cut.
Now I will enjoy the fruits of my labors.
posted by bls @ 8:32 PM
1 Comments:
that sounds so yummy!
the cheesecake - not the toilet.
good job on that, though!
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