Tuesday, January 14, 2014

How to Freeze Cheesecake

Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts!  However, at my house, I'm the only one who will eat it.  (I know, what is wrong with them?  Oh well, more for me!)  What's a girl to do?  Freeze it of course!

How To Freeze Cheesecake

How To Freeze A Whole Cheesecake in a Spring Form Pan
Did you just make a cheesecake and want to freeze it for later?  Take off the outer rim and leave the cheesecake on the bottom of the pan.  Wrap the cheesecake in plastic wrap.  I wrap a few layers of plastic wrap.  Make sure to include wrapping the pan!  Then, wrap the cheesecake and pan in a layer of aluminum foil.  Whole cheesecakes will stay good for 1 month in the freezer.

How To Freeze A Whole Cheesecake
If you don't want to freeze your pan no worries!  You will need a heavy cardboard to make a 'plate'.  Wrap in a layer of aluminum foil.  Place the cheesecake on the cardboard plate and freeze as you would if it were in a spring form pan.  Whole cheesecakes will stay good for 1 month in the freezer.

How to Freeze a Cheesecake Slice
Personally, I like to freeze my cheesecakes in individual slices.  That way when I want a sweet treat I can grab one out (and not be tempted to have a second piece!)  Cut your cheesecake and then freeze.  Once the slices are frozen, wrap in a piece of plastic wrap and yet again in aluminum foil.  Then, I put them in a large freezer bag.  Cheesecake slices will last about 3 weeks.

Cheesecakes with toppings do not freeze well.    Instead, you should add your toppings after the cheesecake is thawed.

To thaw a frozen cheesecake, place it in the refrigerator.

How To Freeze Milk

Milk is a staple in many homes (including ours!)  We go through quite a bit at home for not only drinking, but for cereal, cooking, and my son's personal favorite - pudding.  Did you know that you can freeze milk?  You can!  So when you see milk go on sale, pick up an extra!  If you aren't going to finish the gallon in your refrigerator, no worries!  Simply learn how to freeze milk!

There are a few things you need to know about freezing milk.

One, milk will expand when it is frozen.  So you will need to pour some out (or into another container, or simply have a large glass of milk yourself!)

Two, the milk will separate when frozen.  It's not a problem!  Just simply give it a good shake!

So, exactly how do you freeze milk?

Pour about 3/4 - 1 cup of milk out.  Put on the lid nice and tight!  Milk will absorb the other flavors in the freezer so make sure the lid is on tight to avoid that.  Then freeze.  Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Thawing is simple, put in the refrigerator.  To speed up the process, place the milk in a sink full of cold water.  Shake thoroughly.

Some tips on how to freeze milk.

The higher the fat percentage in the milk, the more it will separate when frozen.

Freezing half gallons of milk is easier than full gallons.  Milk should be used in about 3 days after thawing, so the half gallon size is easier to manage.  Also, it takes up less room in your freezer.

If your family doesn't like the taste of milk that has been frozen (personally, for my family there is not much of any difference) it's still great to use for cooking or cereal!  

Freeze Cottage Cheese

If you want to freeze cottage cheese, then you are in luck.  You can freeze cottage cheese, however, it's a very soft cheese and doesn't freeze the best.  But, if you want to use cottage cheese in casseroles or other baked dishes then it can be done no problem!

First, purchase the whole fat or large curd cottage cheese as it freezes better than the low fat options.  You can freeze it directly in the container.  Place the container into a freezer bag to help avoid any freezer burn.

Don't forget to label your cottage cheese!  You can increase your cottage cheese's life by up to 6 months!

Thaw the cottage cheese by simply placing it in the refrigerator.  After it is thawed, drain excess liquid.  You can stir in a little bit of sour cream if you would like to keep it from being so dry.  However, if you are using it to cook with it should be fine.

So yes, you can freeze cottage cheese!  It's just one of the more tricky items to freeze!

Can You Freeze Cream Cheese?

Question:  Can you freeze Cream Cheese?
Answer: Yes!

So now the real question is HOW can you freeze cream cheese.  It's really easy.

Put an unopened package of Cream Cheese in a freezer bag.  Squeeze all of the air out and date your bag.  You can extend the life of your cream cheese by 6 months by freezing it.

To thaw, simply put in the refrigerator over night.

The consistency of the cream cheese will change during the freezing/thawing process.  After you thaw it will be a little crumbly.  BUT you have a few options.

One, you can use it for cooking.  When you use it for cooking (casseroles, dips, etc) it will taste just the same!

Two, you can put it in the mixer (or whip it by hand) for a few minutes to whip it.  (This method will work some but not restore it to the original consistency.)

Or you can warm it up in the microwave stirring smooth.  When it cools it will go back almost to the same consistency that it was before being frozen!


Can I Freeze Yogurt? YES!

Everyone must love yogurt because I get asked all the time "Can I freeze yogurt?"  The answer is yes, yes, YES!  In fact there are lots of different options that you have to freeze yogurt!

You can freeze it in the container, make Popsicles, make smoothie packs, yogurt bites, or freeze it for baking!

To find out more about all of the ways that you can freeze yogurt, make sure to read our full post on how to freeze yogurt here.

Can You Freeze Sour Cream? YES!

I get asked all the time "Can you freeze Sour Cream?"  Yes, you can freeze sour cream!  However, the freezing process does change the texture of the sour cream when it freezes.  I recommend that you use your sour cream for baking.  It will taste just the same!

So how do you freeze sour cream?  Easy!  First whisk the sour cream.  Then transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag.  If you want you can freeze it directly in the original sour cream container. Make sure you squeeze out as much air as possible.  I personally, like to use my Food Saver and get all of the air out.

And since I only use my sour cream for baking I freeze it in 1/2 cup packages.  That way I can just pull out the right amount for my recipe and I don't have to worry about the rest of the container going bad!

Don't forget to label your sour cream!  You can keep it in the freezer for about 6 months.

Thawing is easy, just put your container in the refrigerator.  You can whip a little bit of cornstarch to it if it needs to be thickened up a little.

How To Freeze Pizza Dough

Pizza is a weekly staple in our house.  We used to order out pizza, but that's expensive!  And not to mention, making it at home is SO much tastier and healthier!  But at the end of the week sometimes the last thing I want to do is make homemade crust, homemade sauce, make the pizza and of course clean up.  Finally I got smart.  Instead of making dough four times a month....I should just make it once and freeze it!  So if you were wondering how to freeze pizza dough - here you go!

How to Freeze Pizza Dough

Mix up your pizza dough.  DO NOT LET IT RISE!!! Instead, shape it into a ball, drizzle with a little olive oil and place in a freezer bag.  Don't forget to label your bag!

Then, when it's pizza day pull out your pizza dough that morning.  It will slightly stick to the bag.  It's ok!  Pull the dough out and place in a large bowl, cover and let rise for 8 hours in a warm place.  (Perfect right?  Pull it out in the morning, head off to work and when you get back it will be ready!)

After the dough has risen, sprinkle your pizza pan with a little corn meal,  roll your dough and top with your favorite toppings!  EASY!!!