When Shavuos comes around, a Kosher foodie’s thoughts often focus on cheese. “What cheeses are now available Kosher?” “What cheeses haven’t I tried yet?” “Where can I buy great cheese?” And my favorite “What’s the best cheesecake recipe?” (I have my personal favorite) This year, I decided to try something new - making my own cheese.
Continue reading Adventures in Cheesemaking: Mozzarella »
A friend of mine (we’ll call her the Enabler) recently asked whether I’d be making ice cream for Shavuot — maybe cheesecake ice cream? I answered that I’d thought about it, but I couldn’t very well make ice cream to serve with cheesecake, let alone cheesecake ice cream.
But apparently I could.
Let me explain. The cheesecake recipe we’re using this year (a no-bake version, since our oven is broken) calls for 12 ounces of cream cheese. Cream cheese comes in eight-ounce packages, so we bought two and had four ounces extra — exactly the amount called for in this recipe. And strawberries are at the height of their season, so we had two pounds in the fridge. Tell me that isn’t a sign from God. (Actually, don’t. I prefer the illusion.)
In any case, I’m very pleased with the result. The ice cream has a mild cheesecake flavor without being overwhelmingly rich, and the fresh strawberries really hit the spot. Here’s the recipe:
Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Adapted from Joy of Baking4 oz cream cheese
3 large egg yolks
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar (divided)
2 cups half-and-half
1/2 vanilla bean or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I used extract)
1 pound (about 2 dry pints) strawberries
- In the inner container of a double boiler (or any medium stainless steel bowl), blend the cream cheese, egg yolks, and 2/3 cup sugar with a whisk or, preferably, an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). (At this point, you may wish to begin heating the water for step 4.)
- In a small saucepan, heat the half-and-half to the scalding point along with the vanilla bean, if using. (If using extract, do not add it at this point.) Stir frequently to prevent a skin from forming. When the cream reaches the scalding point, the milk will begin to foam up rapidly. Immediately remove from heat. Take out the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds out with the back of a knife, then mix the seeds back into the half-and-half.
- Slowly pour the scalding half-and-half into the cream cheese mixture while whisking the mixture to prevent the eggs from cooking. (If any lumps do form, force the mixture through a strainer.)
- Fill the outer container of the double boiler (or a saucepan) with water and bring to a boil. Place the bowl or container of custard over the simmering water and heat, stirring constantly, until the custard reaches 170 degrees F or coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and continue to stir for a few minutes. Set aside.
- Cut up half the strawberries and puree them in a food processor or blender. Stir the remaining two tablespoons of sugar into the puree, then stir the puree into the custard along with the vanilla extract, if using. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate several hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.
- Freeze the chilled mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Chop the remaining strawberries. Remove the ice cream from the machine and stir in the strawberries. Transfer to freezer to harden.
Cross-posted to Apikorsus.
With Shavuos starting this week, the focus is on dairy recipes. Cheesecakes! Blintzes! Pizza! Yes, pizza. At my house, Shavuos lunch is the time for my annual pizza making blitz, where I make (or attempt to make) a selection of gourmet or fancy pizzas. I don’t have a full review of what pizzas I’ll be making, but here’s some of my thoughts and plans:
Have a good and tasty Yom Tov!
In case you’re into that sort of thing:
I know that I have a tendency toward hyperbole when it comes to food, but these really are the best blintzes I’ve ever had. (My apologies to Mother and Mother-in-Law, whose excellent recipes served as a starting point.) The blintz skins are from a French crepe recipe, which yields a more tender, creamy pancake than traditional blintz batter.
We use an 8-inch crepe pan, which makes fairly large blintzes. For a larger number of smaller blintzes, use a 6-inch or 5-inch pan. If you are inexperienced at making crepes, you may wish to make a bit of extra batter to allow for mistakes.
Continue reading Utterly Fabulous Blintzes »
If you’re running out today to buy a frozen cheesecake for Shavuot, consider Trader Joe’s (KVH, I think) — it’s the best I’ve had. If you don’t have access to a Trader Joe’s, you might want to try Sara Lee (Circle-K, I think). It’s surprisingly good, and the slices are separated with pieces of paper, so you don’t even have to cut it.
Sorry for the content drought. Life’s been busy, but fortunately we have a chag to thrust me back into the kitchen. From the first time I had borekas in Israel eight years ago, I loved them. I was at a Shabbos morning kiddush somewhere in Jerusalem and the spread included big, hot potato borkeas — who wouldn’t love the juxteposition of crisp flaky dough and spicy, smooth filling?
So, for Shavuot, I figure I’ll try my hand at cheese borekas. A few choices present themselves. Small, appetizer-sized or large entree size? Phyllo dough, puff pastry, or something else entirely? What combination of cheese?
I haven’t decided on a recipe yet, but I’m leaning toward large borkeas made without phyllo since phyllo can be tough to handle, and I’m willing to be adventurous with the filling.
Please share your suggestions, philosophy, and recipes!
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I’ve also decided to try out Thomas Keller’s recipe for quiche, but haven’t decided whether to do his roquefort and leek quiche — so long as Gourmet Food Store can get me kosher roquefort in time — or something like his “Caesar Salad” quiche (a parmesan-infused custard with baby romaine lettuce on the side).
