Cheese Cake Recipes
Two traditional recipes for the Jewish Festival of Shavu’ot
In 2007 Shavu'ot will begin at sunset on 22nd May and end at sunset on 24th May. Cheese cake and dairy foods are traditionally eaten during this festival.
In the year 2007 the Jewish festival of Shavu’ot will take place on 22nd, 23rd and 24th May. Shavu’ot means the Festival of Weeks and is one of three major Jewish festivals with links to both history and agriculture. The other two festivals are Passover and Purim.
The festival celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Torah includes the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. It is sometimes called the Pentateuch. Shavu’ot is also a festival of thanks giving for a successful harvest in Israel.
Every Jewish festival has its traditional foods and Shavu’ot is no exception. Dairy foods are the order of the day and cheesecake is one of the most popular foods eaten during this celebration. Recipes vary but the following are very traditional and popular:
Sultana Cheese Cake
Ingredients:
- 8 digestive biscuits crushed
- Alternatively you can use thinly sliced sponge cake or short crust pastry thinly rolled
- 675 grams (24 oz) soft cooking cheese or cream cheese
- 175 grams (6 oz) castor sugar
- 5 fluid ounces double cream
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- 175 grams (6 oz) sultanas
Method:
- Line a greased baking tin (loose bottom is best)
- Line the base of the tin with the biscuit crumbs, the pastry or the sponge cake
- Beat together the eggs and sugar until very thick and creamy
- Put the cheese, flour, salt, lemon juice and cream in a separate bowl and beat thoroughly
- Add the eggs and sugar to the cheese mixture and beat together
- Add sultanas
- Pour the mixture onto the base
- Bake for 30 minutes in a moderate oven on Gas No. 4 (360 degrees F, 185 degrees C) until the cake rises like a soufflé
- Turn off the heat and leave the oven door open
- Leave the cake in the oven to cool for twenty minutes
If you prefer a plain cheese cake omit the sultana.
Raspberry Cheese Cake
Ingredients:
- 8 digestive biscuits
- 175 g (6 oz) castor sugar
- 450 g (1 lb) Cooking cheese, cream cheese or soft cheese
- 3 eggs
- raspberries – (if tinned strain off the liquid)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Method:
- Crush the biscuits and spread the crumbs on the bottom of a greased loose bottom baking tin
- Beat the cheese until it is smooth
- Add the eggs slowly, one at a time
- Add sugar and lemon juice and beat again
- Pour the mixture onto the crumbs
- Bake for 15-20 minutes in a moderate oven on Gas No. 4 (360 degrees F, 185 degrees C)
- Allow to cool and top with the raspberries
Alternatively this cake can be topped with strawberries, loganberries, pineapple slices, or almost any fruit.
A favourite in this household is to eat Borsht as a starter followed by a main course of Roast Vegetable Hot Salad with Butternut Burgers. Rhubarb and Apricot Crumble makes a good desert.
