By Courtney Taylor
Gannett News Service

Patti Purser's experience as a food technologist has led her on a quest to make a perfect cheesecake.

A food technologist assists in developing recipes for manufacturers of frozen foods. For Purser, that means working for Sanderson Farms in its Laurel, Miss., headquarters, which produces frozen foods for sale in grocery stores in much of the United States.

But, as if Purser doesn't spend enough time slaving over a hot stove at work, on her days off, what does she do? She cooks.

And her cooking has paid off.

"I made cheesecakes for friends who might be ill, or have a new baby, or to bring to parties.  ... I'd take them to all the family gatherings. . .."

Not too long ago, Purser took one of her cheesecakes to a neighbor who owns a deli as a welcome-to-the-neighborhood present. "They approached me about selling them at their deli."

So with her culinary know-how, Purser developed a cheesecake that will feed the masses, freeze well and still taste like she made it at home. For the task of perfecting her cheesecake, she took a characteristic, scientific, trial-and-error approach.

"My cheesecakes (sold as 'Patticakes') are light and fluffy. They're creamy but there is an airiness to them that you don't find in other cheesecakes," she says.

As her cheesecakes have evolved, she has discovered techniques and ingredients that make them better.

"To me, the key thing is to have the cream cheese and eggs at room temperature so that you don't overmix or end up with a lumpy mixture. Also, I use a good name brand cream cheese. And I use a large mixer - the biggest Kitchen Aid for home use, then at the deli they use a bakery size model. I think that makes a difference," says Purser. "The batter gets velvety and smooth in the least amount of time.

"For the crust, because I use graham crackers or cookies, I don't use additional sugar and I use minimal amount of butter. I work the mixture with my hands just until it is well moistened - not wet or oozy. Then I place parchment paper on top of the bottom of the springform pan and then I clamp the sides around it so that when the cake comes out of the oven, it lifts right off the pan.

"As far as baking them goes, I don't use a hot water bath," she says. "I put them in a preheated oven and don't open the door to peek at them until they are 90 percent done . . . Also, I put a topping on all of my cheesecakes - either a fruit topping or a glaze. Even the plain cheesecakes have a sour cream/heavy cream topping."

Recipes

Recipes developed by food technologist Patti Purser during her search for the perfect cheesecake:

Amaretto Cheesecake

CHEESECAKE

1 package graham crackers, crushed

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

3 large eggs

1/3 cup amaretto

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

TOPPING

1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

1/4 cup amaretto

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toasted almonds

Combine graham crackers, cinnamon, sugar and butter. Mix well. Place in springform pan. Bake in 350-degree oven for 5 minutes. Cream the cream cheese, sugar and eggs until there are no lumps. Add the amaretto and vanilla extract. Pour over the graham cracker crust. Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees. Combine the sour cream, amaretto, sugar and vanilla extract. Pour over the cheesecake and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with toasted almonds. Let cool on a cooking rack for one hour. Place in refrigerator overnight before removing the sides of the pan.

German Chocolate Cheesecake

1 cup chocolate graham crackers, crushed

1/4 cup butter melted

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

11/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 large eggs

1/3 cup evaporated milk

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup flaked coconut

Combine graham crackers and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a parchment paper-lined 10-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese and next four ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Pour into prepared springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Loosen cake from pan; cool. Chill for 8 hours. Stir together evaporated milk and next four ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, seven minutes. Stir in pecans and coconut; spread over cheesecake.

Makes 12 servings.