Vanilla & Lemon Cheese Cake

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8 people

This is delicious traditional cheese cake. I have added the combined flavours of vanilla and lemon as they work well together. It is perfect for a luxury tea or for a milky dessert.

The best recipes are tried, tested served at room temperature and rich without being heavy! Mine can also be used at Passover if you change the base to plava and the cornflour to potato flour.

Ingredients

• 1 packet trifle sponge bases – cut into slices
• 675g cream cheese
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 55g soft margarine plus 1 tablespoon – to grease tin
• 2 eggs separated
• 75g caster sugar plus 1 tablespoon
• 1 tablespoon cornflour/ potato flour for Passover
• 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 150ml double cream
  
  
• Garnish
• Zest of lemon and a dusting of vanilla sugar
• Thick yoghurt with vanilla seeds stirred in or buy vanilla yoghurt

Method

1) Pre-heat the oven to 190 C/375 C/ Gas Mark 5.
2) Grease and line a loose based bottom 22cm/ 9 inch cake tin.
3) Arrange the trifle pieces on the base of the cake tin overlapping where necessary.
4) Put the cheese, sugar, zest and juice of lemon into a mixing bowl.
5) Add the margarine, yokes, corn flour and finally the cream. Whisk together until smooth.
6) Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until they are at soft peak stage. Add 1 tablespoon of caster sugar.
7) Carefully fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture. Pour the mixture over the sponge base.
8) Bake for 30 minutes or until the cake is set around the edges and slightly brown.
9) Leave to cool in the oven for 2 hours and then transfer to the fridge.

To serve the stylish way: Remove from the cake tin. Garnish with zest of 1 lemon and thick yoghurt with vanilla seeds or vanilla yoghurt.

For more information about my recipes or to book onto the latest cookery class call 0845 108 22 68 or click into www.jewishcookery.com