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Shavuot Cheesecake

recipe and ingredients

Cake:

1-1/2 lbs. of creamed/pressed cottage cheese - full fat or a mix of low and full. (This is the cheese used for blintzes, and is usually by Western Creamery; it comes in 10% and .5%. I usually do 1 lb. of 10% and 1/2 lb. of .5%
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream (can be lower fat, but not fat-free)
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs, separated
3 Tbsp. flour (can use a gluten free flour with no real change in results)

CRUST:

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (or chocolate cookie crumbs if you prefer). Again, you can interchange gluten-free.
1/4 lb. butter, melted

GLAZE:

1 pt. (16 oz.) strawberries or pitted cherries or blueberries, chopped or sliced
1 cup water
1-1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. kirsch liqueur or sweet wine (optional)
Red food colouring (optional)

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 400F

2. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and set aside.

3. Mix melted butter and the crumbs in a large measuring cup until moistened through. Pat into a 10" springform pan.

(This will work in a glass rectangular pan too)

4. In mixer bowl, mix cheese and sugar until combined. Add egg yolks, vanilla, sour cream and flour, in two or three additions, and blend until combined. Don't overmix.

5. FOLD in egg whites gently until combined. Don't overmix.

6. Pour into crust.

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 400F. It WON'T look set, but will firm up upon standing. Don't worry if it cracks a bit, but it shouldn't crack a lot.

8. Let cool completely and chill before eating.

For the glaze:

1. Crush 1 cup of the berries with a fork. Combine with water in a pot and bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes. Press through sieve.

2. Mix cornstarch and sugar very well and stir into hot mixture gradually. Quickly bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Turn down heat and boil one minute. Remove from heat and stir in a few drops of food colouring if desired, or the liqueur. Cool but do not chill.

3. Sprinkle remaining berries over the top of a chilled cheesecake. Pour glaze mixture over top of everything. Chill until set.