Israel's best cheesecake

Using Israeli cheese products lead to the best cheesecake.

By GOURMETKOSHERCOOKING.COM
Cheesecake 311 (photo credit: Arcaffe (Limor Tirosh))
Cheesecake 311
(photo credit: Arcaffe (Limor Tirosh))

ISRAEL'S BEST CHEESECAKE

Graham cracker crust
18 tea biscuits
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup (113 grams) melted butter

Cheesecake

2-1/2 cups Gvina Levana (any percentage you want but I use 5%) (White cheese in Israel) This is cream cheese for those of us who live in the U.S.
1 cup Shamenet (sour cream)

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1/2 cup dairy whipping cream (NOT whipped)(aka Katzefet)
2 teaspoons vanilla
Juice of 1 lemon (you can also use about 2-3 tablespoon bottled lemon juice depending on taste)
2 tablespoons flour
1-1/8 cup sugar
2 whole eggs plus 1 egg white

Topping (optional)

1 cup Shamenet
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon sugar
Cookie crumbs for crumbling on top (optional)
Mix in a medium bowl until well combined.

For crust:

Mix all ingredients for the crust together and press into a spring form pan or in 3 long skinny rectangular aluminum pans.

For cheesecake:

1. Preheat oven to 180 Celsius (or 350 F). Mix all together in a big bowl until everything is mixed well.

2. Pour into greased pan/pans. At this point you can swirl in some blueberry pie filling, add chocolate chips or whatever your cravings desire.

3. Place into a bigger roasting pan (or 9×13 pan) to cook in a water bath.

Place on oven rack and slowly pour boiling water into the outer pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.

4. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the center is only slightly loose but most of the cake is set.

5. Take it out and pour on the optional topping and bake another 10 minutes. Cool completely then place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.