J’s Cheesecake

Meet J’s Cheesecake – a proper treat with a cheeky Middle Eastern twist! Swapping cream cheese for tangy labneh, it’s lighter, fresher, and just the right mix of creamy and zesty.

Serves 4

Forkin’ Easy

Ingredients

Recipe for 2 x 20cm (8-inch) springform pans

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese: – 750g
Labaneh – 250g
Sugar – 220g
Eggs – 6 units
Heavy Cream – 300g or 400g
Vanilla – 1 bean (seeds scraped)
Flour or Corn Starch – 25g
Sea Salt – 4g
Lemon Zest – Zest of 1 lemon

Yield:

2 cakes (900g each)

Method

  • Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 230°C.

  • Mixing Ingredients:
    • In a large mixing bowl, whip together the cream cheese, Labaneh, vanilla seeds (scraped from the pod), and sugar until smooth and well combined.
    • Add the sea salt and mix.
    • Incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
    • Pour in the heavy cream and mix until smooth.
    • Add the flour or corn starch and mix until fully incorporated.
    • Fold in the lemon zest and mix well.
  • Preparing the Pan:
    • Line two 20cm (8-inch) springform pans with baking paper, ensuring the paper extends about 5cm above the edge of the pan to prevent overflow.
  • Baking:
    • Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
    • Bake at 230°C for 25 minutes.
    • Lower the oven temperature to 150°C and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes.
    • The cheesecakes should be runny and slightly shaky in the middle when you remove them from the oven.
  • Chilling:
    • Allow the cheesecakes to cool at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to set.
  • Serving:
    • Carefully remove the cheesecakes from the springform pans, slice, and serve chilled.