dumb question

[rainbabies]

i made a pumpkin cheese cake today. the recipe does not say to refrigerate or not????

what to do?

also, when i serve it tomorrow...do i just bring it to room temp, serve cold?? thoughts?

You should refrigerate it both for food safety reasons and because they firm up in the fridge. But let it cool before you refrigerate it so the crust doesn't get soggy.

From baking911:

cold cheesecake is easier to cut than a warm one and will be more set. To cut a cheesecake, make sure the knife is clean and hot, and I would suggest using a thinner slicing knife, not a cake knife. You can dip a sharp knife into hot water, and repeat that process every time you make a slice. That's the best way to do it. It will get gummed up if you don't repeat the process.

For optimum flavor, serve cheesecake at room temperature. This takes about 1 hour after removing from the refrigerator. Make sure the room is not too warm, otherwise the cheesecake will soften too much.

[Michele]

I made the one Kelly Ripa made on her show...hope it comes out ok!