Makes one 9-inch cheesecake
Prep time: 15-20 mins | Cooking time: approx 2h total plus 4-5h cooling time (minimum)
Shavuot’s arrival means many things—and high on that list is lashings of cheesecake! But beyond the baked goods and overflowing dairy aisles, Shavuot commemorates one of the most profound moments in Jewish history: the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
Tradition tells us that the Torah was received on Shabbat. Faced with the newly-revealed laws of kosher slaughter and the restrictions of Shabbat observance, the Children of Israel realized they couldn’t prepare meat for their festive meal until Shabbat had ended. This is one of several reasons many communities developed the custom of eating dairy on Shavuot.
Shavuot is both a historical and agricultural celebration. Arriving in spring, when livestock give birth and milk yields are abundant, it coincided with a seasonal surplus of dairy—cheese, butter, cream, and sour milk. Resourceful cooks, seeking to use this bounty, began crafting early cheesecakes: combining cheese with flour for stability, eggs as a binder, honey for sweetness, and a pastry base to hold it all together. In fact, the first known cheesecakes date back to Ancient Greece. And while techniques have evolved, the essence of cheesecake remains timeless.
With that in mind, we’ve decided to shake up the cheesecake tradition. Inspired by the growing trend of beginning the Shavuot meal with cheesecake—before moving on to a meaty feast—we’ve created a savoury cheesecake starter as the showstopping opener to this year’s three-course menu.
This version features salty cheeses—camembert and feta—on a base of rosemary crackers, topped with a sweet-sharp confit of balsamic-roasted tomatoes. Rich, moreish, and just a little disorientating, this dish plays with expectations and encourages experimentation. Feel free to substitute with any soft cheese of your choice—the recipe is wonderfully adaptable.
Ingredients
For the base:
- 200g of savoury crackers of your choice–we used rosemary crackers
- 3 tbsp freshly grated parmesan
- 120g butter, melted
For the cheesecake filling:
- 500g ricotta
- 150g feta, cut into small chunks
- 175g camembert,
- skinned and cut into cubes
- 250g soft cheese
- 4 large free-range egg yolks
For the topping:
- 1600g cherry tomatoes–we used a variety for colour and flavour
- 1tbsp onion powder
- 1tbsp garlic powder
- 1tbsp oregano
- 1tbsp basil
- 1tbsp paprika
- generous amount of salt and pepper
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
To serve:
- A few leaves of fresh basil, torn
- Small handful of rocket
Method
- Make the topping first
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan (Gas Mark 6 / 400°F)
- Place tomatoes in an ovenproof dish with olive oil, balsamic, and seasoning. Stir to coat.
- Roast for 45 minutes, until wilted and slightly charred.
- Drain and cool. Refrigerate, then bring to room temperature before serving.
- Prepare the base
- Lower oven to 190°C / 170°C fan.
- Blitz crackers into crumbs.
- Mix with parmesan and melted butter.
- Press into a cake tin and chill.
- Make the filling.
- Whisk cheeses until smooth.
- Add egg yolks and mix to a thick batter. Chill if needed.
- Bake the cheesecake.
- Pour filling over base and bake for 60 minutes, until lightly golden with a slight wobble.
- Cover with foil if browning too fast.
- To serve:
- Keep cheesecake and topping separate.
- Top chilled cheesecake with half the tomatoes; serve the rest on the side.
- Tomato topping should be served at room temperature.
- Tear basil leaves over the top and serve with fresh rocket
