Ultimate New York Style Cheesecake

I'd prefer not to wait till next week's newsletter to share this classic baked cheesecake recipe with you because, coming so close to Shavuot, you may decide you don't have enough time to make it. And that would be so sad. This isn't the Red Velvet Cheesecake you pinned to a Pinterest board and never tried. It's not the Salted Caramel Cheesecake that everyone complains doesn't really taste like cheesecake. It's not a fashion-driven Brownie Cheesecake, Oreo Cheesecake, or Mocha Cheesecake. Instead, it tastes just as decadently creamy and delicious as a traditional cheesecake should, yet it's made with plain white cheese, cutting calories and costs.

It's the cheesecake I find every excuse to make the whole year through as it's way too good to serve only at Shavuot.

I'm quite sure you'll do the same.

Ingredients:

Base:

• 1 cup plain flour

• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut

• 100g butter, melted

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• generous pinch of salt

Filling:

• 3 tubs 9% gvina levana

• 1/2 cup sweet cream

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tbsp custard powder (see notes)

• 1 tsp vanilla essence

• 3 eggs

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Place flour, coconut, sugar and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine. Use the back of a spoon to bress the mixture into the base of a lightly greased medium sized tin and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden.

2. Put cheese, cream and sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth.

3. Add lemon juice, custard powder and vanilla. Beat again. (This can all be done by hand, but will take a little longer.)

4. Pour mixture into prepared cookie base and bake for about 40 minutes or until just set and firm in the middle (be careful no to overbake). Switch off the oven and leave the cheesecake to cool in the oven. Letting the cake cool gradually like this will prevent cracks from forming.

Cook's Notes:

I absolutely love this homemade crumb base for cheesecake, lemon tart and chocolate tarts as it's far more interesting than store-bought, crushed cookies and not overly sweet. You could substitute with crushed Lotus, Petite Beurre or Digestives mixed with butter if preferred but try not to. Custard powder - available at Meatland - may be replaced with 1 tablespoon of cornflour but be sure to include the vanilla. This will work fine with 5% white cheese too but 9% gives a bit of extra creaminess. Low in calories compared to real cream cheese but you'd never taste the difference.e vinegar can