The tangy, smooth custard filling of this cheesecake is just so delicious.
This year has been a difficult one. With conflict brewing on the other side of the world and tensions rising here in Portland, chef and recipe developer Sonia Sanford finds healing in bringing people together through cooking and baking, especially that culture’s most enduring export: cuisine.
Sanford has weathered her own challenges in recent years — her Beetroot Market and Deli on NW Glisan Street opened just after the pandemic arrived, then closed — and she’s back to hosting podcasts. Food Friends This sunny yellow cheesecake is often served at gatherings such as the late spring Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which falls this year in the second week of June. Its soft crust, like a coffee cake, supports a light, tangy custard filling.
This cheesecake features labneh, an ultra-filtered yogurt that has been eaten across the Middle East for thousands of years (the word comes from the Arabic word for yogurt). Laban.
Our staffers dug into Sanford’s cheesecake, which was pleasantly delicate without the heavy, heavy taste that cheesecakes can have. Our usually opinionated editors had no comment. “This is dangerous!” said Digital Engagement Editor Dalila Brent. “You take one bite, and then some…”
Labneh Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce
Labneh
- 32 oz. Plain whole milk yogurt
crust
-
150g Graham crackers (9-10 pieces)
cracker - 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons Unsalted butter (melted)
filling
- 2 cups Labneh
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 Large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
sauce
-
3 cups Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
The stem was removed - 1/2 cup sugar
- Juice 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2tsp Cornstarch
For the labneh
Line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth and place over a large bowl and add yogurt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Pour off the liquid and transfer to an airtight container. You’ll have enough labneh for this recipe, or some left over.
Crust Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform or pie pan, or a 9½-inch tart pan. Place graham crackers in a bag and crush into small pieces. Transfer to a small bowl and mix with the sugar and salt. Using your hands, mix the butter until it resembles moist sand. Press into the greased pan to form a thin, even crust. Use a glass or measuring cup to smooth out the sides. “The bottom can be a lot thinner than you’d like,” Sanford writes. “It will look fragile, but it will hold up well when baked.” The crust on the sides should be thicker than the bottom, about 1 inch high, depending on your pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, or until dark and firm.
Lovene filling
Whisk together 2 cups labneh, sour cream, sugar, and salt. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure they are completely combined, then whisk in vanilla extract. Pour mixture into slightly cooled batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-24 minutes. Bake until edges are beginning to set and center jiggles when pan is moved. Using a tart pan may reduce cooking time. Check after 15 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours, ideally 12-24 hours. Serve with fruit, whipped cream, or strawberry sauce. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Strawberry sauce
Place strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, salt in a saucepan with 1/4 cup water and simmer over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until sugar is dissolved and strawberries are soft but still hold their shape. Mix cornstarch with 2 tsp water and add to saucepan and simmer for 1 minute. Sauce should easily coat a spoon. Cool and transfer to refrigerator. Sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead.
This recipe and others from Sanford can be found in her new cookbook. Blaze: Recipes from My Pacific Northwest Jewish Kitchen.
