In the year 2010 the Jewish festival of Shavuot (also known as Shavu'ot, or Shavuos) will take place on 18th, 19th and 20th May. Shavuot means the Festival of Weeks and is one of three major Jewish festivals with links to both history and agriculture. The other two festivals are Passover and Purim.
The festival celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Torah includes the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. It is sometimes called the Pentateuch. Shavuot is also a festival of thanks giving for a successful harvest in Israel.
Every Jewish festival has its traditional foods and Shavuot is no exception. Dairy foods are the order of the day and cheesecake and Cheese Blintzes are just some of the most popular foods eaten during this celebration. Recipes vary but the following are very traditional and popular:
Sultana Cheesecake
Ingredients:
- 8 digestive biscuits crushed
- Alternatively you can use thinly sliced sponge cake or short crust pastry thinly rolled
- 675 grams (24 oz) soft cooking cheese or cream cheese
- 2 level tbsps plain flour
- 175 grams (6 oz) castor sugar
- 5 fluid ounces double cream
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- 175 grams (6 oz) sultanas
Method:
- Line a greased baking tin (loose bottom is best)
- Line the base of the tin with the biscuit crumbs, the pastry or the sponge cake
- Beat together the eggs and sugar until very thick and creamy
- Put the cheese, flour, salt, lemon juice and cream in a separate bowl and beat thoroughly
- Add the eggs and sugar to the cheese mixture and beat together
- Add sultanas
- Pour the mixture onto the base
- Bake for 30 minutes in a moderate oven on Gas No. 4 (360 degrees F, 185 degrees C) until the cake rises like a soufflé
- Turn off the heat and leave the oven door open
- Leave the cake in the oven to cool for twenty minutes
If you prefer a plain cheese cake omit the sultanas.
Raspberry Cheesecake
Ingredients:
- 8 digestive biscuits
- 175 g (6 oz) castor sugar
- 450 g (1 lb) Cooking cheese, cream cheese or soft cheese
- 3 eggs
- raspberries – (if tinned strain off the liquid)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Method:
- Crush the biscuits and spread the crumbs on the bottom of a greased loose bottom baking tin
- Beat the cheese until it is smooth
- Add the eggs slowly, one at a time
- Add sugar and lemon juice and beat again
- Pour the mixture onto the crumbs
- Bake for 15-20 minutes in a moderate oven on Gas No. 4 (360 degrees F, 185 degrees C)
- Allow to cool and top with the raspberries
Alternatively this cake can be topped with strawberries, loganberries, pineapple slices, or almost any fruit.
A favourite in this household is to eat Borsht as a starter followed by a main course of Roast Vegetable Hot Salad with Butternut Burgers. Rhubarb and Apricot Crumble makes a good desert (see my other recipes).
Frances Spiegel - Frances Spiegel, B.A. Hons. (Open)., Dip.Eur.Hum., read Art History/European Modern History at the Open University.
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