Cheesecake with Petit-Beurre Biscuits

This is a recipe which I got recently from Yael Birav. We were invited on Succot to celebrate the holiday together with their family, and Yael brought along this wonderful cheesecake, which was a delicious “finale” to a terrific dinner in Efrat and Rami’s garden with the Birav family and friends. 

Yael kindly sent me the recipe the next day, and since then, this has become a family favorite!

This an unbaked cheesecake, an ideal “warm weather cake” (you don’t have to turn on the oven).

Make sure to prepare it at least one day in advance of serving, keeping it covered in the refrigerator. 

An “apology” is in order for all those of you who are not living in Israel – this recipe calls for the typical Israeli 9% white cheese. I cannot vouch for any other type of cheese – so, I don’t know if using an alternative type of cheese abroad (U.S.?) will provide the same results. If you are in the U.S. and near an Israeli community where you can get Israeli products at a “Super Sol” etc, then surely you’ll be able to get the 9% Israeli white cheese there. If not….then wait till you come to Israel for a visit!

The amounts written below are to be used if you are using 375 grams of biscuits. In a tin or pyrex of approximately 32cm x 22cm you should have three layers of biscuits and alternated with three layers of the cheese mixture.

Thanks Yael, for sharing this wonderful recipe.

Ingredients:

• Petit Beurre Biscuits –  375 grams 
• Approximately half a cup of milk into which you dip the biscuits
• 500  grams (17.6 oz) 9% white cheese (Ski brand) – can also use Tnuva. You can also use 5% cheese or a combination of 5% and 9%.
• 2 containers of sour cream (9% fat) – each container measures one cup
• 500 grams (17.6 oz) of whipping cream (two containers of one cup each)
• 250 grams (1 1/4 cup) sugar
• 2 full Tablespoons instant Osem vanilla pudding mix

Preparation:

1. Pour approximately 1/2 cup of milk into a bowl.
2. One by one, briefly dip each biscuit into the milk, and place in tin or pyrex, one next to the other. Make sure that the biscuits are not over-soaked with milk.
3. When you finish placing the bottom layer of biscuits, then prepare the cheese mixture:
4. In mixer, mix the sour cream, cheese, sugar, and Osem Instant vanilla pudding.
5. In another bowl, beat the whipping cream till stiff.
6. Fold whipped cream carefully into cheese mixture.
7. Place approximately a third of the cheese/whipped cream mixture in pyrex on top of biscuits which have been dipped in milk.
8. Continue dipping enough biscuits and place them on top of the cheese mixture in the pyrex, one next to the other, until the cheese filling is covered.
9. On top of that carefully spread another third of the cheese mixture, and spread evenly.
10. Continue with the rest of the biscuits, briefly dipping in milk, and then place them on top of the cheese mixture.
11. Spread the rest of the cheese-cream mixture onto the top layer of biscuits.
12. Cover well with aluminum foil (be careful that the aluminum foil should not touch the top of the cake) and refrigerate for at least one day.