Creamy Cheesecake Recipes for Shavuot

Cheesecake is synonymous with Shavuot.

The holiday, which is May 25 through May 27 this year, celebrates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. Shavuot is celebrated with all night Torah-study sessions and lots of dairy.

“As an insomniac and a convert who loves dairy, Shavuos is naturally my favorite holiday,” Ashira Ungar, author of “Unleavened: The Ultimate Pesach Cookbook,” told the Journal.

After years of making phenomenal traditional cheesecakes, Ungar now opts for cheesecake cups. These preserve the spirit of Shavuot while making it a bit healthier.

“In my experience, Jewish holidays are rich in tradition, joy and calories,” she said.

While a traditional slice of cheesecake can add anywhere between 450 to 1,000 calories to a meal, Ungar’s Cheesecake Cups are about 175 calories each; if you opt for low-fat cream cheese and sour cream, they are around 130 calories.

“These cups capture all of the decadence of cheesecake, while decreasing the calorie load significantly,” she said. “They are gluten-free, easy to make and can be served with a variety of toppings.”

Cheesecake Cups

3 (8oz) packages cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla

For the Filling:
1 cup sour cream
½ tsp vanilla
¼ cup sugar

For the Topping:

Cherry or blueberry pie filling, fresh fruit or citrus curd

Plus:
Cupcake liners for baking

Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each egg. Continue mixing until a smooth batter forms. (This takes longer than you’d think.)
Add the sugar and vanilla, and mix until well combined.
Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. Pour the batter into the liners until they are about ¾ full.
Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan until a dip forms in the center of each cup.
In a small bowl, combine the filling ingredients: sour cream, vanilla and sugar.
Spoon some of the filling into each cup. The filling should not overflow.
Return the pan to the oven and cook for another 5-8 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow it to cool. Refrigerate. Add toppings before serving.
Yields about 24 cheesecake cups

Judi Leib is the founder and chef at Whisk In the Southern, where she infuses her Georgia roots and southern California living into her passion for cooking. Leib and her family believe that cheesecake is “not just for dessert!”

“I love recipes like this lemon cheesecake at Shavuot,” Leib told the Journal.

“The freshness of the lemons reminds us of the spring harvest and all the newness in the world.”

Fresh Lemon Cheesecake

For the crust:
1-1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers
1/4 of a cup, finally, chopped, toasted, almond or pecans
1 stick of melted butter
1 tablespoon sugar

Stir everything together until crumbs are well moistened. Pat into a 9 inch springform pan. Make sure to have at least an inch or two up the sides of the pan.

For the filling:
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp of flour
1 tsp vanilla
3 whole eggs
4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Blend all of the ingredients for the filling in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Pour filling into the crust in the springform pan. Securely wrap the bottom of the springform pan with aluminum foil. Place the pan in a shallow baking pan. Pour room temperature water in till it’s about halfway up the aluminum foil of the springform pan.
Bake for 35 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Use a knife to loosen the crust. Cool 30 minutes more. Cover and chill for four hours before serving.

If you want a showstopper dairy dessert for Shavuot, Judy Elbaum’s Cheesecake With Marbleized Chocolate Glaze will do the trick.

“The marbleized glaze does require a bit of technique,” Elbaum, founder of LeaveItToBubbe.com, told the Journal. “You can simplify the recipe by finishing the cake with a sprinkling of confectioner’s sugar or a simple chocolate glaze.”

Elbaum says this is her favorite cheesecake.

Cheesecake With Marbleized Chocolate Glaze
Graham Cracker Crumb Crust
1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup walnuts, finely chopped
½ tsp cinnamon
½ cup (one stick) butter, melted

Cheesecake
2 8 oz packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract
¼ tsp salt
3 cups sour cream

Before you begin: Preheat the oven to 350°F and have an 8-inch by 3-inch springform pan ready, sides sprayed with Pam and bottom lined with parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the pan tightly with a double layer of heavy duty aluminum foil.
Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.
Bring several quarts of water to a simmer in a teapot. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the graham cracker crumb crust. Place into the springform pan and press crumbs evenly along the bottom and halfway up the sides.
Place in the refrigerator to cool while you mix the cheesecake batter.
.In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well. Add the vanilla, almond extract, salt and sour cream and beat until well combined.
Pour the cheesecake batter onto the prepared crust. Place in a larger pan and pour in the simmering water until it reaches one inch up the sides of the pan. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Then, turn off the oven and leave the cake in the oven for one hour. Do not open the oven door.
After one hour, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
When ready to serve, unmold the cake and a sprinkling of confectioner’s sugar is all you need to garnish this cake.
If desired, you can surround the base of the cake with raspberries.
If desired, you can glaze and marbleize the top of the cake, using this recipe.

Marbleized Chocolate Glaze
3 oz bittersweet chocolate
½ stick butter
2 tsp corn syrup
3 oz milk chocolate chips
3 oz white chocolate chips

Place bittersweet chocolate, butter and corn syrup in the top of a double boiler. Whisk together and remove from heat when warm and melted.
Place milk chocolate chips in a heat-proof, microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50% power for one minute. Repeat until the milk chocolate chips are fully melted.
Repeat the process with white chocolate chips.
Pour ¼ to ½ cup of the melted bittersweet chocolate onto the top of the cake in a circle, leaving a one-inch border of cheesecake showing. Place the melted milk and white chocolates into squeeze bottles and drizzle overlapping loops of each onto the bittersweet chocolate glaze. Using the tip of a toothpick or wooden skewer, make a series of bisecting strokes over the loopy scribbles to marbleize the chocolates.
Allow the chocolates to set before serving or refrigerating.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Sarah Zulauf’s No-Bake Layered Blueberry Vegan Cheesecake is paleo, gluten-free, indulgent and delicious!

“This cheesecake is a Godsend for lactose intolerant and gluten-free family and friends, who should not have to miss out on this glorious holiday of the cheesecake, I mean Shavuos,” Zulauf, founder of Sarah’s Organic Gourmet, told the Journal.

Sarah’s Organic Gourmet specializes in organic, vegan and gluten-free friendly desserts, snacks and challah; her products are available at Bibi’s Bakery & Cafe, 8928 W. Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles.

“If you have been reading [how] anti-inflammatory foods are the ticket to your optimum health, this recipe ticks all the boxes,” she said. “It’s dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free [and] refined sugar-free.”

You will savor every bite.

No-Bake Layered Blueberry Vegan Cheesecake
Crust
½ cup (65g) raw pecans
½ cup (48g) almond flour
2 pitted dates
2 Tbsp (25g) coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp kosher salt

Cheesecake
2 cups raw cashews, soaked in cold water for at least four hours or, preferably, overnight
½ cup canned coconut milk, shaken
¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled (use refined coconut oil if you want no coconut flavor)
1/3 cup (111g) pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

For the blueberry layer
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Grease a 6” springform pan with coconut oil or line an 6” cake pan with strips of parchment paper for easy removal and grease well with coconut oil. Set aside.
Add the pecans, almond flour, pitted dates, coconut oil, cinnamon and salt to a food processor or high-powered blender and pulverize until it forms a sticky dough. Don’t over process or it’ll turn into nut butter. Press the pecan date dough evenly along the bottom of the prepared pan.
In a high-powered blender, combine all of the filling ingredients. Blend for about 2 minutes or until the mixture is silky smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides as necessary. You may need to add a bit more coconut milk or lemon juice to get it to blend smoothly.
Once it’s smooth, taste the mixture and adjust the sweetness/tartness levels by adding more maple syrup, vanilla or lemon juice, if desired.
Pour 2/3 of the filling into the prepared pan over the pecan crust. Smooth out the top and tap the pan hard against the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Place in the freezer. If you want super clean layers, let it freeze for about an hour or until firm before adding the blue layer on top.
Add the blueberries to the remaining batter and blend to incorporate. Spread over the plain layer. Return to the freezer.
Place in the freezer to set for at least 3 hours or until completely firm before slicing and serving. I recommend running your knife under hot water to warm it up before cutting the cheesecake with the still-hot (dried) knife.
You can let thaw for about 20 minutes from frozen at room temperature, or for the best texture, transfer to the refrigerator at least an hour before serving. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Enjoy!