Please help me figure out if this is feasible (make ahead traveling cheesecake)

[ljt2r]

**Josie if you see this do not mention to mom as I am not ready to commit**

I want to make this cheesecake and take to my mom's house for next Friday dinner (1 1/2 weeks away). As you see, it has a cheesecake layer as well as a layer of dulce de leche and a layer of ganache. I have heard you can freeze cheesecakes. My parents live 2 hours from me and I will be heading up Thursday afternoon the day before. My current thought is to make the cheesecake early in the week, freeze it, take it up to Columbus on Thursday in cooler (with ice? without? either way let start to thaw a bit). Add layers of dulce de leche and ganache when I get there on Thursday night. Serve cheesecake Friday night.

Does this sound like it will work? Any words of wisdom about freezing cheesecake? Will it thaw in the time I have allotted? Do I thaw on counter or in fridge? Any really detailed advice would be appreciated--not only am I a novice cheesecake maker (although I did make this one successfully) but I also have pretty much only made cookies ahead of time. I don't utilize the freezer much for this kind of thing. But I think it needs to be frozen given the timing of traveling there. Plus I figured firmer (from freezing) means less apt to have any nasty accidents in car.

Thanks in advance!

[cchhbb]

Laura,

I haven't made the recipe you are talking about, but I have frozen many cheeesecakes. When I freeze them, I let them cool completely and wrap really well, often still in the pan. I defrost overnight in the fridge generally.

I would probably make it early in the week and freeze. I would transport it in a cooler and if the weather is warm with an ice pack and then finish the cheesecake on Friday am.

Good luck.
Cheryl

[ljt2r]

Originally Posted by cchhbb

Laura,

I haven't made the recipe you are talking about, but I have frozen many cheeesecakes. When I freeze them, I let them cool completely and wrap really well, often still in the pan. I defrost overnight in the fridge generally.

I would probably make it early in the week and freeze. I would transport it in a cooler and if the weather is warm with an ice pack and then finish the cheesecake on Friday am.

Good luck.
Cheryl

Do you (gently obviously) press the plastic wrap right against the cooled top of the cheesecake before freezing? And Thursday night would you put back in the freezer or put in the fridge? I am thinking fridge....

ETA Thanks!

[sneezles]

I would chill in the refrigerator before freezing to set the ganache and then press the plastic to cover the entire surface. Wrap the entire cake (in the pan again in plastic and then in foil. If you have the freezer packs rather than ice it would be better as they don't add a lot of water to the cooler. You can make them yourself with freezer bags if you don't have enough.

On Thursday I'd put it in the fridge not the freezer, jmho.

[ljt2r]

Originally Posted by sneezles

I would chill in the refrigerator before freezing to set the ganache and then press the plastic to cover the entire surface. Wrap the entire cake (in the pan again in plastic and then in foil. If you have the freezer packs rather than ice it would be better as they don't add a lot of water to the cooler. You can make them yourself with freezer bags if you don't have enough.

On Thursday I'd put it in the fridge not the freezer, jmho.

So you would do the dulce de leche and ganache layers before freezing? Now when I made this the first time I did that the second day but I don't know if I needed to. Could the layers be added the same day as baking the cheesecake, albeit after chilling it a bit, or would you wait to freeze it, with all layers, until the second day?

What are the pros and cons to doing the additional layers before and after freezing?

[sneezles]

Yes, I would do the layers after cooling the bottom layer but before freezing and freezing the next day after the cake has chilled overnight in the fridge. I think the layers would adhere better if done before freezing. I do a multi-layer cake that waits in the freezer while prepping the next layer and one layer is caramel.

[cakebaker]

OMG, Laura. That cheesecake looks divine. I must try it soon.
I would make the entire cake including all layers, chill it and when fully chilled wrap the entire pan tightly in plastic wrap and freeze over night o for several nights before making the trip in cooler. Defrost in frig for at least 2 hours before you serve or on countertop 1/2 to 1 hour.
I made a Junior's Cheesecake with brownies and caramels a few weeks ago and though it was not in layers nor did I travel with it, it defrosted well and tasted yummy 3 weeks later.