www.jewishquest.com

This cheesecake slice isn’t light on calories, but it is smooth, creamy, very tasty and only involves a bit of whizzing, mixing and chilling. The result is a lovely alternative to a traditional baked cheesecake. A perfect make-ahead dessert.
Serves 6

Ingredients
200g chocolate digestive biscuits, or similar
50g unsalted butter, melted
100g good quality dark chocolate, 70 per cent cocoa solids
150g cream cheese, full fat
150g mascarpone cheese
50g icing sugar, sifted
50g amaretti biscuits, crushed

Method
You will need a 450g loaf tin. Cut a strip of baking paper so it runs across the length or width of the tin and up the sides, overhanging the edges so you can use it like a sling to lift the cheesecake out.
Crush the biscuits and tip them into a bowl. Add the melted butter and stir well until the crumbs are coated. Tip them into the lined loaf tin.
Using the back of a spoon, gently push the crumbs to the edges of the tin until smooth and flat. Chill while you make the filling.
Break the chocolate into small pieces and put in a glass bowl. Sit the bowl over a pan of just simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Melt the chocolate, stirring gently once almost melted. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, use an electric whisk, if possible, to whisk the cream cheese, mascarpone and icing sugar together, for two minutes, until smooth. Stir in the melted chocolate until well combined.
Spoon the mixture onto the base, and smooth down until flat. Chill for 2-3 hours, or until needed.
To serve, sit the tin briefly in a tray of hot water, to make it easier to release the cake. Either use the baking paper sling to lift the cheesecake out, or turn the tin onto a plate. It will then be upside down, so take another plate and very carefully flip over again. Sprinkle the crushed Amaretti biscuits over the top and slice.

www.renbehan.com

This delicious, creamy cake is yummy served with a fruit compote.
Serves 12-14
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes plus 4 hours chilling

Ingredients
250g digestive biscuits or similar, finely crushed
125g unsalted butter, melted (plus extra for greasing the tin)
750g cream cheese, softened
225g caster sugar
2 tbsp custard powder
3 large eggs
3 tbsp lemon juice
300ml double cream

For the topping:
300ml sour cream
¼ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp sugar

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C
Grease and line the base of a 22cm round loose-bottomed springform cake tin.
Melt the butter and add the crushed biscuits.
Press the biscuit mix into the tin. Use a large spoon to smooth out the base, and push the mixture half way up the side of the tin, making sure it is evenly distributed.
Bake for 15 minutes, until the base has turned golden brown, then remove from the oven.
Beat the cream cheese for at least three minutes; then add the custard powder and sugar. It can take up to five minutes of beating to get a smooth, fluffy cream cheese mixture.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating enough after each egg to get it smooth — do not over-beat.
Add the lemon juice and cream.
Pour the mix onto the base in the tin. Smooth out using a spatula.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 140°C and cook for further 40 minutes.
When cooked turn off the oven, leaving the door ajar to cool.
After 10 minutes remove to cool on a wire rack.
Before adding the sour cream topping, completely cool the cake and refrigerate, approx 3-4 hours.
Heat the oven to 150°C and mix the topping ingredients.
Pour the topping over the cheese cake and bake for 10 minutes
Remove from the oven, cool on a wire rack.
Refrigerate till needed.

www.cookwithlisa.com

Some say that the Torah is as sweet and perfect as milk and honey. So with that lovely idea in mind I have created this deliciously more-ish milk and honey fudge for Shavuot. It is made with light evaporated milk but the taste is creamy and rich.
Makes 24 pieces approx
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes plus cooling

INGREDIENTS
400g golden caster sugar
150ml light evaporated milk
½ tsp salt
85ml honey
40g butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD
Lightly grease any non-stick tin with flavourless oil.
Put the sugar, milk, honey, salt and butter in a large thick-based pan and stir gently over a low heat until the sugar is completely melted.
Boil until the mixture reaches 115°C — the “soft ball” stage. If you haven’t got a sugar thermometer, test by carefully dropping tiny drops into a jug of water. Soft balls of fudge should form.
When the fudge mixture has reached 115°C remove and place it in a metal food-mixer bowl or just a metal bowl.
Cool slightly then beat vigorously with the vanilla in the food mixer or with electric beaters. The mixture will thicken, lighten and stiffen and magically turn into fudge. Before it sets firm, pour it into a tin and leave to cool fully.

Ruth Joseph is the co-author of ‘Warm Bagels and Apple Strudel’, published by Kyle Books at £25

Florists in Israel and in Jewish communities around the world will be busy next week in the run-up to Shavuot. Why do we celebrate the festival of receiving of the Torah and of bringing the first fruits (bikkurim) to the Temple by decorating synagogues with flowers?

The Midrash describes Sinai as bursting into flower when the Torah was given.  Nature rejoiced along with Israel.  Basking in botanic beauty is also a reminder of the bikkurim, the offering of first fruits that were brought around this time of the year.

Although the custom has been related to ancient sources, Rabbi Shmuel Hertzberg points out that the earliest reference to this practice is the 15th-century German rabbi Maharil. The 18th-century Gaon of Vilna, however, banned flowers in the sanctuary as it reminded him of Christian services. 

Supporters of Israel are calling on the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs to "build bridges" rather than seek a boycott of Israeli goods.

Earlier this week Eamon Gilmore hinted that he planned to push the European Union to block goods produced in the settlements, in order to pressure the Israeli government into making changes in policy.

Mr Gilmore said settlements in the West Bank were "making the achievement of a two-state solution in the Middle East impossible.

"If there isn't a change in Israeli policy in relation to settlements in particular, I think we may have to look at some additional measures," he said.

Cork-based human righst activist Barry Williams said that singling out Israel would "not secure a lasting peace".

Mr Williams has now set up a petition seeking to oppose a boycott.

"If Gilmore wishes to seek a boycott of Israeli settlement goods, we seek [an] EU wide boycott of Moroccan goods made in occupied Western Sahara and Indonesian goods made in West Papua New Guinea," the petition reads. "We urge the minister not to seek a boycott of Israeli goods, instead he should look to build bridges between various communities in the Middle East."

The Boycotts, Sanctions and Divestment campaign has gained steam in Ireland in recent months. In December, anti-Israel protesters repeatedly disrupted the Israeli Film Days festival and police officers were brought in.

Earlier this month Alan shatter, Ireland's Justice Minster, said anti-Israel activists had waged a "cyber-bullying" campaign to force an Irish folk music group to cancel its performances in Israel.