It's Shavuot next week so what could be better?
A Trio of Cheesecakes
Next week is the holiday of Shavuot, there are many theories about why this festival is linked with dairy food, but the one I like best is the fact it's a reference to Israel being the land flowing with milk and honey.
I hope you enjoy the recipes for a traditional baked cheesecake, and non-baked fridge Cheesecake and in case you have any dairy or gluten intolerant guests coming a super easy vegan gluten free cheesecake that taste almost like the real thing.
Traditional Baked Cheesecake
In our family, although nearly everyone is a good cook, it was my Auntie Helen, who was the cheesecake queen. In the days before I found out I was dairy and gluten intolerant I couldn't wait first slice of her cheesecake, and neither could anyone else because whenever she produced it for family parties it disappeared like a puff of smoke!
This is the recipe that has been passed down the family, the measurements are quite approximate but for the sake of authenticity I didn't want to change them into metric measures.
The recipe itself has four stages, but the result is worth every single one of them this is not something to hurry over it's something to enjoy making as much as your family will enjoy eating. Making this cheesecake is a labour of love.
Ingredients
For the base
Half a packet (around 4 oz) non salted butter
3/4 of a packet of digestive biscuits finally crumbed.
a pinch of nutmeg
For the cheese filling
Just under 2 pounds of soft cream cheese, it must be full fat.
3 large fresh eggs, plus the yolk of another egg.
8 oz of caster sugar
The zest of 1 lemon,
the juice of half a lemon
1 cup of sour cream
1.5 teaspoons a vanilla extract
approximately 3 tablespoons of plain flour
For the topping
half a cup of sour cream
one tablespoon of caster sugar
2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice whichever you have in the house.
Half a punnet of raspberries or strawberries, washed and dried (optional)
Method
Stage 1 make the base.
Preheat the oven to 180 c, 350 F, gas mark 4, if you're using a fan oven 160C.
Line the base of a 9 Inch 23 cm springform caked in (springform are the tins that you when release the side and the bottom comes up) with baking parchment.
Melt the butter on a low heat in a medium sized pan, when it is melted at the biscuit crumbs take it off the heat, a mix it in thoroughly so all the crumbs are incorporated into the mixture add in the nutmeg and stir.
Press the biscuit mixture to the bottom of the caked in, making sure it's even and to ensure that it's pressed in use the bottom of a clean glass jar jar to press it down.
Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes no longer or it will be overcooked, take it out the oven and let it cool down at room temperature.
Stage 2 make the cheesecake filling.
It's best to do this in a stand mixer, my aunt had a Kenwood, if you don't have a stand mixer then a hand mixer will do, of course you can make this by hand with a wooden spoon, but you will get such a light fluffy texture.
Preheat the oven to 200 C,390 F Gas mark 7.
Place the cheese in the mixing bowl mix it for 2 minutes on a low speed till it becomes quite creamy.
Turn the mixer speed too low add the sugar the flour, Lemon zest and lemon juice, Then at the vanilla extract, the lemon juice, mix then add the eggs and the egg yolk one at a time, mixing it well before you add the next egg this ensures that the mixture doesn't split.
Finally, add the sour cream, again at a low speed making sure it's all blended in well.
Don't be worried is the mixture looks somewhat runny that's fine it should be quite smooth no lumps light and airy.
Place the caked tin which already has the cooked base in the centre of a baking tray, this is very important so that it doesn't drip everywhere, and carefully pour in the filling,
Place in the oven, set a timer for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 100C 212 F Gas mark ½. (Yes, that low) and cook for 45 minutes.
You will know the cake is done if you gently shake it and it's slightly wobbles.
Turn off the oven, open the oven door and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for about two hours. Don't worry if a slight crack appears in the top of the cheesecake when it cools this is quite normal.
Stage 3 the topping
Mix the sour cream, sugar and the lemon or orange juice well together,
once the cake has cooled, pour the topping from the centre of the cake and spread it right to the edges.
Very loosely cover the cake stop with silver foil and put it in the fridge for at least 8 hours.
Stage 4. Decorate and serve.
Remove the cake from the fridge, release the springform at the sides, and place the cake on the serving dish or cake stand that you're going to use decorate the top with the berries and serve.
No bake fridge cheesecake
No bake cheesecake recipes are very popular, nowhere more so than in Israel where there are many varieties of fridge cheesecakes.
Although they only take 10 minutes to prepare, the longer you chill them the more chance they have to set and the better they are. This recipe must set in the fridge for the minimum of five hours, but it's better overnight.
You can get 10 slices from this recipe, as it is quite rich, To ensure you get the right consistency and that the cake sets it's important that you cream and cream cheese are used directly from the fridge.
Ingredients
For the crust
10 oz or 280 gr of digestive biscuits. ground into crumbs.
Half a teaspoon ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, or nutmeg, (choose which one you like or omit them)
115 gr 4 oz of good quality non salted butter. (Melted)
For the filling
450 gr, 1lb, of cream cheese must be full fat.
One large container of double cream. (approximately just under half a pint)
One teaspoon a vanilla essence
200 gr 7 oz of icing sugar that has been put through a sieve.
Toppings
Whipped double cream with your favourite liqueur, chocolate mints, strawberries, sliced fruit, the list is endless, and you can choose whatever your family likes.
Method.
Put the digestive biscuits into a food processor adding the spice of your choice,
blend them till they're fine crumbs.
Melt the butter either in a pan or in the microwave, then add the biscuit crumbs to butter, mix well.
When they're slightly cool put them round the base over 9-inch springform caked tin.
Set aside.
Alternatively, if you want the quick and easy route you can find both in Tesco's and in BNJC deli, ready-made kosher flan biscuit bases.
To make the filling, put the cream cheese vanilla extract and Icing sugar in a large bowl, and mix with electric hand mixer until it's well combined, this will take three to four minutes.
Add the ice-cold double cream to the mixture again using the electric hand mixer mix for approximately 5 minutes, till the mixture thickens up and it's slightly fluffy.
pour the mixture over the over the crust, smooth the top and put it in the fridge for at least five hours or overnight.
Once this cake is made it can be frozen it will last up to a month in a freezer, but you must defrost it slowly in the fridge before decorating it.
Before serving, choose how you want to decorate or top the cake, traditionally this fridge cheesecake is topped with whipped cream and whatever you want to add.
If there is any leftover which is very unlikely, it will last up to 48 hours in the fridge.
Dairy free Gluten Free “Cheesecake”
Because I'm dairy and gluten intolerant, being invited out over Shavuot, was often quite difficult for me, especially as one of the things that I really do miss is cheesecake!
When I lived in Israel I developed this recipe for non-dairy gluten free cheesecake, it's one that suits my diet, but has been tried and tested on the most discerning palates including my friends children who are very anti vegan and they said they liked it a lot, I thought they were being polite but the following year when I was invited for Shavuot, I was asked by my friends then nine year old son. to bring this cake with me (praise indeed)!!!
Makes 10-12 servings.
1 pack of gluten free gluten free biscuit that are crunchy, ginger is a great substitute.
1 cup organic honey or maple syrup, or Agave.
½ teaspoon dried ginger
8 oz. (670 grams) organic firm tofu We had that when mum was on that ward the doctor said one thing and the
2 cups plain plant-based yogurt preferably sugar free.
2 tablespoons 90 ml plant-based milk (I use pea milk)
1 teaspoon good organic vanilla essence
2 table spoons plain gluten free flour.
The zest of 2 lemons
The juice of two lemons
For The Topping
Fresh fruit of choice berries or peaches are best, with a whipped plant-based yoghurt or a plant based whipped cream is quite light and refreshing.
Method
Preheat your oven to 170C ,340 F gas mark 3.5.
Line a cake tin or a pan with baking paper.
Put the biscuits in a food processor and blend till fine crumbs, add ½ of the honey and the ginger mix well till they stick together, then flatten the mixture down into your cake tin and bake for 5-8 minutes to set, remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool.
Place the tofu, lemon juice, plant yogurt, plant milk, gluten free flour, vanilla in the food processor and blend until smooth, add the remaining honey & lemon zest and blend quickly just to mix the ingredients together.
Pour the mixture into the premade crust.
Bake for 20 minutes then turn the oven down to 150C 300 F gas mark 2 cook for 15 more minutes. The mixture should just be set and look slightly brown on top, take it out of the oven and let it cool once it is cool put it Place in the fridge and let it chill for at least 3 hours, overnight is best.
To serve decorate with whipped plant-based cream, and fruit of your choice.
If there is any left Cover it well with foil this last 2-3 days in the fridge.
I hope you enjoy one of these trio of cheesecakes, I will be adding some Shavuot recipes as well. Chag Sameach!