Passover White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake
Passover White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake. Crust (from Gourmet, April 2008) Recipe called for raspberries but I subbed for strawberries
Passover White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake. Crust (from Gourmet, April 2008) Recipe called for raspberries but I subbed for strawberries
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3/4 cup almonds, toasted and cooled sliced blanched
- 2/3 cup matzo cake meal
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 4 ounces imported white chocolate (such as lindt) chopped
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 3/4 cups raspberries fresh or frozen, unsweetened, thawed, drained
- 1 8-ounce container sour cream
- 2 1/2 pint basket of raspberries one 1-pint basket strawberries
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam
- Carbohydrate 31.3991987463235 g
- Cholesterol 54.36334996275 mg
- Fat 3.69059859343412 g
- Fiber 0.756362935408083 g
- Protein 3.01889372351014 g
- Saturated Fat 1.78617932294048 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (56g)
- Sodium 26.4282297540432 mg
- Sugar 30.6428358109154 g
- Trans Fat 0.444820758644734 g
- Calories 170 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350F with rack in middle.
- Pulse almonds, sugar, matzo cake meal, and salt in a food processor until finely ground.
- Transfer to a bowl and stir in butter until combined well. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of springform pan. Bake until crust is firm and a shade darker, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan on a rack.
- Melt white chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until smooth, stirring often. Remove from over water. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and peel in large bowl until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined. Beat in white chocolate.
- Spoon half of batter into crust. Top with 3/4 cup berries. Spoon remaining batter over. Bake until edges of cake are set but center 3 inches still moves when cake is shaken, about 45 minutes. Cool 20 minutes. Maintain oven temperature. Using fingertips, press down gently on edges of cheesecake to flatten slightly.
- Whisk sour cream, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Spoon over cake, spreading to edge of pan. Bake 5 minutes. Transfer cake in pan to rack. Run small knife around sides of cake. Cool completely. Chill cake overnight.
- Fold down foil along sides of pan. Lift cake pan off cheesecake. Transfer cheesecake to platter, discarding foil. Cover cake with berries. Bring jam to simmer in small saucepan, stirring often. Gently brush jam over berries. (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead; chill.)
Using matzo cake meal and finely ground blanched almonds creates a sturdy structural base that mimics a traditional graham cracker crust without relying on leavened grains. This Passover-friendly adaptation incorporates toasted nuts directly into the flour and sugar mixture before binding them with melted unsalted butter. Pulse the dry ingredients in a food processor until pulverized; large almond fragments cause the crust to crumble when sliced. Press the mixture firmly one inch up the sides of a springform pan to contain the dense dairy filling. White chocolate contains cocoa butter solids that solidify rapidly, so melt it gently over simmering water in a double boiler to prevent scorching. Cream cheese must reach room temperature before beating with sugar and eggs to avoid lumps in the batter. Swapping raspberries for strawberries alters the moisture balance of the fruit layer, so ensure any substituted berries are thoroughly drained before baking to prevent a soggy center. Chill the finished dessert overnight in the refrigerator to allow the structure to fully set before unmolding.
