3

My first cheesecake was too salty, particularly around the crust, and I want to know what could have caused it.

One possibility is that I mismeasured the salt, although I do not make that mistake often. I doubt it was the use of sea salt as it is usually less salty.

So I got to wondering if it could be that I used salted butter. (I buy salted butter because the ingredients are salt and butter, whereas the unsalted has natural flavors added.) Is this something I should adjust for?

Erica
  • 8,362
  • 9
  • 60
  • 89
hildred
  • 644
  • 2
  • 8
  • 12
  • "too salty, particularly around the crust" - do you mean the *filling* was salty? If yes, the salt didn't seep from the crust into the filling. We can help you better if you clarify, was the crust alone salty, the filling alone, or both? Also, if it's the filling, see http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/18178. In short, cream cheese is so salty that you can end up with salty cheesecake even if you don't add salt yourself. – rumtscho Apr 17 '15 at 19:30
  • @rumtscho, removal of the crust made it much less salty, but it did seep into the cheesecake adjacent to the crust was salter than the main body. There was no salt in the cream cheese, as I make my own. – hildred Apr 18 '15 at 00:22

2 Answers2

4

Yes! Try to avoid salted butter in cooking and baking. If you must use it you will need to adjust, but I am not sure there is a consistent way to do this. Different brands probably have different salt content.

moscafj
  • 72,382
  • 3
  • 117
  • 207
  • Agreed, you should never bake with salted butter. – talon8 Apr 17 '15 at 18:24
  • 4
    Different brands _definitely_ have different salt content, and most recipes assume unsalted butter and therefore add salt. It's impossible to predict how much each brand of butter may need to be adjusted for, although with some practice you may be able to find a rule of thumb for the brand you typically use. – Erica Apr 17 '15 at 18:50
1

What has been said to you in the answer and comments are all correct. Let me add my 44 years of experience to you which should solve this problem. Make your own crust and use sweet, unsalted butter. You might have added salt instead of sugar in the crust if you made your crust. A very easy mistake. Also as a master cheesecake maker (creamy style baked, creamy style unbaked and a few of my own creations) do not ever use salt in your cheesecake, ever. I also make the NY style cheesecake, no salt. Cheesecake equals no salt, at any time. Some people have little bowls of salt and sugar on their counters and oopps you may have put a pinch of the wrong item. Oh well, it is over and done with and now you will not make any more oopps again with salt and cheesecake, right? I use regular Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese

user33210
  • 1,182
  • 1
  • 8
  • 18
  • the recipe called for salt in both the cheesecake and crust – hildred Apr 18 '15 at 00:22
  • I understand I may be old and the recipe called for salt in the crust and the mixture, the recipe is wrong, very very wrong. The results proved it and sometimes recipes add or leave something out, especially from relatives or friends or even some good cooks. If you search this site, somewhere here is my recipe, I believe. REMEMBER, NO SALT, ONLY SWEET UNSALTED BUTTER, there is no reason for me not to guide you the correct way. – user33210 Apr 18 '15 at 00:30
  • I was not disagreeing with you, and indeed I will follow your advice, but I was particularly upset that when using less salt than called for it was too salty. – hildred Apr 18 '15 at 00:35
  • First let me apologize to you for making you upset, that was not my intention. I am so very pleased and happy that you made a desert that is very difficult. Since salt was the only problem you had, pat yourself on the back! Most people can't make a good cheesecake.Tthe stuff that's sold in restaurants and the freezer section, yuck. Do not be upset, make it again and again and see how happy you will be. Cook and bake with LOVE in your heart. No matter how much experience someone has, we all screw up, time and time again. I do, I even cry about it and sing and dance when things come out perfect. – user33210 Apr 18 '15 at 01:30
  • It was n't you I was upset with, but I think time in jail should have impressed the recipe's author with the value of attention to details. – hildred Apr 18 '15 at 01:39
  • look up the question can cheesecake be cooked without a spring-form pan? There, I believe you will find what I was talking about something that will put a big smile on your face after about half hour of work, waiting, learning, waiting overnight, then feeling hopefully very good. If my daughter in law could do it, so can you. I'm tired and need to rest, it's been the toughest 2 months of my life and this is my only escape, so forget the rest, you'll have the best, just a bit a honing in, but not tonight. You will be JUST FINE AND MAYBE THE ONE WHO BECOMES THE CHEESECAKE BOSS!! – user33210 Apr 18 '15 at 02:59