• Recipes
• Pastry
• Cheesecakes
• Japanese-style baked cotton cheesecake

Baking

In Judaism, the big holidays like Passover, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur can overshadow the other holidays. Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) is always celebrated in May, and that’s why I was very excited to create this recipe. When I started learning more about the holiday I realized how special Shavuot is to converts to Judaism. Shavuot commemorates the revelation of the Torah on Mt. Sinai to the Jewish people. Traditionally we'd attend services at our synagogue where special readings are recited, including the Book of Ruth: The story of one woman's choice to join the Jewish people. Ruth is known as the first convert to Judaism. <br /> <br />Tori says that “Traditional holiday meals on Shavuot center around dairy foods. Milk is considered to be a symbol of the Torah, which nourishes the people directly, as milk does for a baby.” In honor of Ruth and my fellow converts, I’ve created a new take on a traditional Shavuot food: A Japanese-Style baked cheesecake with the first berries of the season. Growing up with a Japanese mother, my siblings and I were more accustomed to eating fruit or Japanese-style desserts than Western cookies and cakes. I love Japanese cheesecake for its airy consistency and touch of sweetness. Here in California, we’re starting to see the first berries of the season. If you’re in other parts of the country where fresh berries are not available, I recommend topping the cheesecake with a good quality jam. Any will do, but berry and cheesecake is always a great combination! <br /> <br />Japanese-style cheesecake, also known as baked cheesecake or cotton (for it's light and airy consistency) cheesecake can be incredibly labor-intensive and time-consuming to make. This recipe yields similar results, minus the many hours of prep! The crust is a crumbly wheat-free pecan and oat crust that magically maintains its crunch!

Oct. 1, 2021, 11:49 a.m.

Share

0

14

0