An Easy, No-Bake Cheesecake For Shavuot

Jewfolk’s FolkLab offers multiple ways to engage with Jewish learning, life, and culture; last week’s Shavuot cheesecake demonstration and tasting class with Zehorit Heilicher combined all three.

At a sold-out class in the Nordic Ware Factory Store in St. Louis Park, Heilicher walked the group through three different, no-bake Israeli cheesecake recipes – all perfect to celebrate Shavuot.

“I got some really lovely positive feedback from the participants,” Heilicher said. “I think it was lovely that people had questions and participated and seemed really engaged. I love that about the class.”

Heilicher talked about her Yemeni-Israeli background, as well as the roots of Shavuot being a dairy holiday.

“I try to engage people and create some humor and everything, and my classes overall tend to be sort of interactive,” she said. “I like to think of the class being a community for two hours.”

Heilicher said the Nordic Ware kitchen space lends itself to a homey feel.

“Nordic Ware was really wise in creating a kitchen that almost looks like a home kitchen,” she said. “It’s not as intimidating as the big ovens and the professional kitchens. This is inviting; at my house, the kitchen is the busiest place.”

Heilicher has taught classes at Nordic Ware for 14 of the 18 years that the store has been open, said LoAnn Mockler, who was the manager of the store until 2023 but still helps arrange classes.

“Zehorit makes the classes very approachable,” Mockler said. “The staff thought the class was wonderful. And the desserts were just fabulous. There were some leftovers that were really good.”

Israeli Crumb Cheesecake

Recipe Adapted from Keren Agam

Serves: 10

For Base and crumb

1 stick butter, melted

300 grams Petit Beurre butter or Osem cookies (or Nilla Wafers)

2 tablespoons almond flour (or extra cookie crumb) 

Cake Filling

200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar

2 teaspoons lemon zest

500 milliliters (2 cups) heavy whipping cream, very cold

1 package instant vanilla pudding (Zehorit prefers Osem to Jell-O brand)

200 milliliters sour cream

16 ounces cream cheese (2 packages), softened

Directions:

1. Prep: grease a 9-inch round springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. You can also line the sides of the pan. Make room in the refrigerator for the cake pan. (you can also use a 9×9-inch square pan.
2. Make Crumbs: Place Cookies in the bowl of food processor and pulse until fine Crumbs are created. add the flour and melted butter, and pulse until combined. divide crumbs into two even portions. set one half aside for the topping and spread the other half on the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing the crumbs in and creating a smooth and even bottom. set aside.
3. Make filling: Place sugar and lemon zest in bowl of a stand mixer and rub between your fingers until zest releases its oils and the sugar turns yellowish. add softened cream cheese and, using the flat beater on medium speed, combine cream cheese with the lemony sugar. Beat for three to four minutes until smooth and fluffy. Place the mixture into a clean bowl. In the same mixing bowl, (no need to wash) add the rest of the filling ingredients (vanilla pudding, sour cream and whipping cream). Whip mixture with whisk attachment on medium-high speed until fluffy, smooth, and stable. Reduce speed and add cream cheese mixture a little at a time until it is all combined, smooth, and stable.
4. Assembly: Spread the cheesy feeling over the bottom cookie layer evenly and smooth the top. Sprinkle the reserved half of cookie crumbs evenly over the cheesy filling, lightly pressing it into the cake. Cover the cake in place in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours and up to 24 hours.
5. Serve: Slice the cake with a sharp, smooth knife and serve with fresh berries, chocolate or caramel sauce. Cake will keep covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. 

Note: If doubled, this recipe can be made in a 9×13-inch pan.