recipe serves: 12

Israeli cheese cake

Ingredients
 
750 gram white cheese 5% to 9%
200 gram sour cream
6 each large egg
½ cup cornflour
½ cup instant vanilla pudding powder
Tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp grated peel of lemon (1 medium lemon)
 
1 cup sugar
 
butter to coat the pan
 
2 cup hot water for the bain-marie
 


Preparation steps:
  1. Separate the eggs and set them aside for 30 minutes at room temperature.
    In a large bowel place the white cheese and sour cream, and also set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature.
  2. Prepare the round baking pan (size 8" diameter x 4" tall) and roasting pan (instructions below).
  3. Preheat the oven to 420F and position a roasting pan in the lower third of the oven.
  4. Cheese mixture - If there is excess liquid from the white cheese and sour cream, carefully remove it from the bowl. Add egg yolks, cornflour, instant vanilla pudding powder, 1½ Tbsp sugar, vanilla, and lemon peel. Using a hand whisk, vigorously mix for 1 minute until the mixture is smooth and free of any lumps.
  5. Whip the egg whites until they become foamy, then gradually add 1 cup of sugar. Whip for approximately 5 minutes until they reach the soft peak stage, but do not whip them to the stiff meringue stage. Soft peaks means the whites look glossy and hold their shape but still curl over slightly at the tips.
  6. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cheese mixture, adding them one-third at a time.
  7. Add the hot water to the roasting pan in the oven approximately two minutes before placing the cake pan in the oven.
  8. Transfer the cheese mixture to the cake pan, then use a spoon to smooth the top evenly.
  9. Carefully place the cake pan in the water bath.
    Do not open the oven door during baking.
    Bake for 15 minutes at 420F.
    Reduce the oven heat to 300F and continue baking for an additional 1 hour and 15 minutes.
    Turn off the oven, and keep the cake inside the oven for another hour.
    the cake should cool down gradually in the oven.
    Notes:
    I) The top of the cake should be a light brown color. If the color is too pale add up to additional 20 minutes of baking.
    II) Most of the water from the water bath will evaporate during the baking.
  10. Remove the cake from the oven. Remove the aluminium foil and let the cake to cool down. Refrigirate for at least 6 hours to overnight.
  11. To remove the cake from the pan, gently pull out the parchment paper from the sides of the cake. Place the bottom of a spring pan (or a light plate) on top of the cake pan and carefully flip the cake upside-down to release it from the pan. Remove the parchment paper. Place a second plate on top of the cake and flip it over once again. This will position the cake right-side up for serving.


    Baking equipment

    I use the "Fat Daddio" tall cake pan size:
    8" (20 cm) diameter x 4" (10 cm) tall,
    PRD-84 anodized aluminum round cake pan,
    and a disposable 10" x 12" roasting pan for the bain-marie.

    Round parchment paper for the bottom of the cake pan

    Start with a square piece of parchment paper, approximately 10".
    Fold the square in half and fold it in half again.
    Fold the square into a triangle, keep the center of the paper at the base of the triangle. Fold the triangle in half again.
    Turn the cake pan upside down and place the folded paper with the center (the point of the triangle) at the center of the cake pan.
    Using scissors, cut the folded paper along the edge of the pan.
    The unfold round shape paper will fit perfectly in the bottom of the cake pan.

    Preparing the cake pan

    Use butter to generously coat the cake pan (bottom and sides).
    Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and use butter again to generously coat the parchment paper.
    Line the sides of the cake pan with parchment paper, ensuring that the parchment paper extends 1 inch higher than the cake pan to accommodate the cake's rise during baking without overflowing. Be sure to butter generously this parchment paper as well.
    The cake will rise during baking but will return to its original height after it cools down.
    Use double aluminum foil (folded aluminum foil in half) to wrap around the cake pan.
    The benefits of using a water bath and aluminum foil include achieving even baking, preventing cracks, and avoiding browning on the sides of the cake.
Picture of recipe


Take note!
  • Sour cream brand:
    Knudsen Hampshire in CA
    Hood in MA
    Don't use sour cream which is made
    with corn starch and gum
  • Cornflour: ½ cup = 80 gram


Related recipe:
  1. White cheese