Caffè mocha marble cheesecake

I treat myself to a slice of this cake on rare occasions due to my strict stomach ulcers diet, and for that reason, I have been going back and forth whether I should post the recipe or not. Nevertheless, Shavuot is coming up this weekend, which gives me good excuse to share it so others can enjoy it too.
What’s better than a caffè mocha in the form of a creamy marble cheesecake? The mocha swirl on top is so delicious, so even if you are not a coffee drinker, like I am, you’ll love this decadent cake!

Bakers notes:

• Originally I used Lotus Biscoff cookies for the cookie crust but you can use graham crackers or digestive cookies as I used here.

• Preferably bake the cake the day before you want to eat it, so it has time to chill in the refrigerator overnight.

• Use good quality cocoa powder, I like to use Valrhona.

• If Tnuva 5% Quark white cheese is not available, use low fat cream cheese instead.

Caffè mocha marble cheesecake

Makes one 9in/22cm cake

Ingredients
For the crust:
Unsalted soft butter for greasing the pan
200 gr. plain digestive cookies *see notes
60 gr. unsalted butter, melted

For the cheese filling:
250 gr. 5% Tnuva Quark white cheese, room temperature *see notes
200 gr. light cream cheese, room temperature
400 ml. sour cream, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs

For the mocha swirl:
1 tsp instant coffee powder
1 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
1 tbsp hot whole (3% milk-fat) milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Lightly butter a springform pan and wrap exterior with heavy duty aluminum foil.

In a food processor, finely grind cookies. Add butter and pulse to combine.

Press mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake on the lower rack for 12 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°F/170°C.

Place Tnuva Quark white cheese and light cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on low speed until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add sour cream, sugar and eggs and beat just until smooth, don’t overmix.

In a small bowl whisk together coffee and hot milk until dissolved, add cocoa powder and 1/4 cup of the cheese filling and whisk until well combined.

Pour cream cheese filling over the crust. Drizzle mocha filling in a circular pattern over cheese filling. Using a knife, make circular strokes to create swirls. Set springform pan in roasting pan and place onto the lower rack of your oven. Pour boiling water into roasting pan to reach 1 inch up sides of the springform pan and bake until the cake is set but still a little wobbly in the center, about 1 hour.

Turn the oven off and let cake cool in the oven for 1 hour. Refrigerate, uncovered until firm, 4 hours or overnight.

Happy Shavuot! xx

*This recipe was originally published in Laisha Magazine.

Banana, tahini and spelt crumble cake {gluten-free option}

I tweaked this healthy-ish banana tahini spelt cake I posted on the blog a couple of years ago,  with the addition of spelt-olive oil crumble topping and a hint of cinnamon. It’s super moist, not too sweet and easy to make. This combination makes it the perfect snack cake or breakfast and will surely become your favorite too.
I double the crumble topping and keep a batch in the freezer, because it’s wonderful not only for this cake, but on ice cream and cheesecakes too. Spread it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 15 minutes or until golden.

Banana, tahini and spelt crumble cake {gluten-free option}

Makes one 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf cake or 6 cup bundt cake or 8 inch cake pan
 
Baker's notes: 

• While making the crumble topping, it’s important to drizzle in the olive oil, gradually, to the dry ingredients so pebbles will form. If you add the oil all at once, you will get a wet dough.

• Baking times may vary between 40 to 50 minutes depending on the shape and material of the pan you are using.

Ingredients

Unsalted soft butter for greasing the pan
1 1/4 cups white spelt or gluten-free all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon for dusting the pan
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 small or 2 medium bananas)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup raw tahini
½ cup light brown sugar, packed or demerara sugar (I used demerara here)
125 ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil

For the crumble topping:
1/2 cup white spelt or gluten-free all-purpose flour
1/4 cup demerara sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the lower third. Grease pan with butter using a pastry brush. Dust pan with flour and tap out any excess flour.

For the crumble:
In a small bowl mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt with a fork, gradually drizzle in the olive oil, a little bit at a time, while mixing in a circular motion with a fork until pebble crumbs form. Set aside.

For the cake:
In a medium bowl, sift together dry ingredients and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the rest of the wet ingredients. 

Combine both and whisk just until you get a smooth batter. (Over mixing will result in a chewy, dense texture).

Pour into prepared pan, sprinkle crumble topping on top and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40-50 minutes *see notes.

Cool cake 10 minutes in pan; then turn out of pan onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Covered tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container, cake will keep fresh at room temperature for up to 4 days. xx

Red Lentil and carrot soup with labneh and homemade croutons

This soup reminds me of fall in New England, when the weather begins to chill and the leaves change colors.
I think that there is nothing quite like a bowl of hot, hearty soup, it’s the ultimate comfort food and can be a meal in itself.
This one consists of simple pantry ingredients that are healthy, packed with nutrients and a whole lot of flavor.
The different toppings of tangy labneh, salty parm, homemade croutons, evoo and freshly ground black pepper, creates the perfect balance of flavors and textures so don’t skip on any of them.

Red lentil and carrot soup with labneh and homemade croutons {vegetarian}

Serves 6-8

Cook’s notes:

• Pick over the lentils to remove any debris and then rinse in cold water to remove any dust.

• Make your own croutons, they’re easy to make and far tastier than the store bought ones.

• Season the soup with salt only after it is cooked, so lentils don’t become tough.

• As the soup cools over night in the fridge, it will thicken up. Simply add filtered water and thin it out to the consistency of buttermilk.

Ingredients

For the soup:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, cut in half lengthwise and cleaned under running water, sliced thinly
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 large carrots (about 1.5 lb.), peeled and cut roughly into 1/2 inch dice 
Chili flakes (as hot as you like it)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed (*see notes)
8 cups (2 quarts) vegetable stock or filtered water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the croutons:
2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
1 French baguette, cut in 1 inch cubes
1 tsp thyme leaves

To serve
Labneh or plain greek yogurt
Good quality extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan Reggiano

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek, onion, carrots, chili flakes and sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute more, add lentils, black pepper and stock or water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer covered (stirring from time to time) for 30 minutes or until carrots are soft and lentils are cooked through.
Take the soup off the heat and blend with an immersion blender until silky smooth, season with salt.

Meanwhile make the croutons.
Preheat the oven to 180°c.
Put the cubes of baguette on a baking sheet lined with parchment, sprinkle with thyme, drizzle with olive oil and toss with your hands to coat. Arrange in a single layer and bake, mixing twice half way through for about 12-15 minutes, until crunchy and lightly golden.

Serve soup with a dollop of labneh or yogurt, croutons, a drizzle of evoo, freshly ground black pepper and grated Parm. xx

Watermelon, feta and shrimp salad

This is one of those refreshing, easy-to-make salads I could eat everyday! Sweet juicy watermelon, garlicky-spicy shrimp, creamy salty feta, sharp red onion and fresh nana (mint) leaves tossed with a subtle vinaigrette. It’s the perfect flavor combo all in one bite!
Although it’s the end of August, there are still plenty of sweet watermelons around, so give it a try.
Serve it at a BBQ or a picnic.

Watermelon, shrimp and feta salad {gluten free}

Serves 6 to 8 as a starter or a side

Cook’s notes:

• This recipe can be easily adjusted to serve more than 6 people.

• If you are vegetarian or keep kosher, skip the shrimp or serve it alongside grilled fish.

• I always buy half a watermelon at the farmer’s market and ask to taste it, to be sure it’s sweet enough to my liking. Tasting is the best tip I can give you when you buy one.

Ingredients
For the salad:
Half small seedless red watermelon, cut into 1 cm chunks
Small red onion, peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced
1/2 cup nana leaves, washed and picked
100 gr. feta cheese

For the shrimp:
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp chili flakes
500 gr. medium size shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and pepper to taste

For the vinaigrette:
2 tsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Put the watermelon, onion and nana in a large shallow serving bowl.
Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl. Set a side.
 
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil, minced garlic, chili flakes, the shrimp, salt and pepper to taste and sauté, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, until fragrant and cooked through.

Add shrimp and vinaigrette, toss gently to coat. Top with crumbled or chunks of feta and serve immediately.