My Family's Favorite Israeli Cheese Cake

by Katherine Martinelli

We are celebrating this week Jewish holiday of Shavuot. As all Jewish holidays has unique custom for food at Shavuot we eat mostly dairy treats. I love Israeli-style cheesecakes like this, which are lighter and more delicate than the American versions I grew up with.

This Israeli cheese cake recipe is a family favorite of Orli Ziv who is also the author of Cook in Israel: Home Cooking Inspiration with Orly Ziv.

INGREDIENTS

For the Dough:

• 80 g (5½ Tbs.) butter
• 125 g (1 cup) self-rising flour
• 25 g (2 Tbs.) sugar
• 2 egg yolks (reserve whites for cake)

For the Filling:

• 750 g soft white cheese like Israeli “ski” (sub whipped cream cheese)
• 3 eggs and 2 whites
• 200 g (1 cup) sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups low-fat sour cream
• 20 g (1½ Tbs.) vanilla sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F.
2. Mix together the dough ingredients by hand or in a stand mixer until well combined.
3. Press into a deep, 26-centimeter/10-inch cake pan so it evenly covers the bottom.
4. Bake about 10 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven, set aside, and lower the oven to 170°C/300°F.
5. Mix together the white cheese, eggs and egg whites, regular sugar and vanilla extract.
6. Pour over the pre-baked dough and bake for 50 minutes. 7. Mix together the sour cream and vanilla sugar and pour on top of the cake.
7. Don’t be afraid – the pan might look very full but it will deflate slightly.
8. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
10. Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving. The longer it stays in the fridge (for 1 to 2 days) the better!

BTEAVON and ENJOY!

Read the full article here.

Bring Tastes of Israel into your Kitchen!

Let the aromas and flavors remind you of Israel, forever in your heart and in your life!

Click HERE to download our FREE Cooking Israel Cookbook.