This cheesecake is creamy and moist and is very easy to cook. It doesn’t require a lot of cooking time and efforts.

I invented it many years ago and it’s my favorite, although I do love New York Juniors cheesecake as well.

For this recipe you don’t necessary need a spring form.

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Preparation time 30 minutes (not taking into the account the time in the freezer 2h optional, but not a must)

Serves 8 people

Ingredients:

Dough:

1.5 cup of self rising flour (sifted)

1/2 cups of sugar

1/2 stick of butter

1/2 cup of cooking oil

1 tablespoon of vanilla sugar or vanilla extract (3-4 drops)

1 tablespoon of baking powder

3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon of water

1 tablespoon of mayo

Filling

1.5 packages of cream cheese

3 egg whites

1/2 cup of sugar

1 cup of pumpkin (preferably boiled for 3 -5 minutes, then peeled and shredded, not pumpkin filling)

Preparation:

Take the cream cheese packets out of the fridge and set aside.

In a bowl, pour the sugar, 1 cup of flour and  cut 1/2 stick of butter. Mix everything with fork, trying to rub the butter with sugar and flour. Add vanilla sugar, baking powder and the rest of the flour (0.5 cup). Mix everything again very well. Add the cooking oil (I use the vegetable oil)

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites . In a separate cup mix: the egg yolks with water and 1 tablespoon of mayo. Pour into the dough mixture and  mix all the ingredients with a fork, then with a hand, shaping a ball.

Put the dough ball in a freezer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare the filling:

Mix the egg whites with sugar and pulse it with mixer for 1 minute.

Cut the cream cheese and put it in a bowl with egg whites and sugar.

Mix everything very well with mixer for 3 minutes.

Add the shredded pumpkin that was precooked for 3 minutes, peeled and shredded.

Mix everything with mixer very well.

Baking

Take the dough out of the freezer.

Roll it out slightly, (not to the full shape), put the layer into the baking dish or spring form. (The form should be very well greased before putting the dough in it). Spread the dough with your hands around the form and extend the dough to the wall, thus forming the dough bowl for the cheese mixture.

Pour your cream cheese mixture inside and bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350 F.

After the cheesecake is cooked, turn the heat off and leave it in the oven for additional 5-10 minutes so that it would cool off with the oven and not fall (because it should raise pretty well)

TAke the cheese cake out of the oven let it rest for some time and then take it out of the form.

I let the cake rest for another 10 minutes and then just turn the dish over an put it on the plate with cheese facing down. Then I take another plate and  cover the bottom of the cake and turn it around on another plate. (but you can use the spring form it’s simpler)

Decorating.

You may use whipping cream to decorate. or I used 3 egg yolks and 1/2 cup of sugar to make a cream and just pour it on the cake when serving.

Egg whites and sugar cream.

Take 3 egg whites add 1/2/ cup of sugar beat it up with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes.

Freezing, freeze your cake or 2-3 hours (optional, but not necessary). it tastes good even without freezing.Keep it in a fridge or freezer!

Enjoy.

The last day of September is a double Birthday Day in my family. So I was looking for a cake that would be simple, fast and that wouldn’t require a lot of time in the kitchen.

My Facebook friend Dor from La Difference Catering offered me to cook a Classic Victoria Sandwich, so I improvised and changed couple ingredients, as well as added couple of new.

This is how the ready cake looks like. It’s a shame I didn’t get a chance to picture it when cut.It looks amazing inside too, but it vanished too fast.

Preparation time: 30 minutes (Total with cream and decoration)

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Total time needed: 55 minutes to 1 hour. (It’s better that the cake stand in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours, but it’s not critical)

For the batter:

1 cup of sifted flour

1 cup of sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons of lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla sugar

1 teaspoon of baking powder

To decorate:

Coconut shred (optional)

1/2 cup raspberries

1/2 cup strawberries

(Or you may use kiwis and bananas)

Batter preparation:

Mix sugar with eggs gradually, then add lemon zest, vanilla sugar and baking powder; after that start gradually add sifted flour.

Preheat the oven to 350 F; preheat a tin, where you will pour the batter.

Grease the tin with butter or margarine, pour the batter in it and bake for 20-25 minutes until the toothpick comes out of the cake clean.

While the cake is baking let’s cook the cream.

Clotted Cream recipe:

1 cup of milk

3 tablespoons of sugar

3 tablespoons of flour

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla sugar

1/3 cup of condensed milk

Step 1. Divide the milk into 2 halves. Mix 1/2 cup of milk with eggs, flour and vanilla sugar. Set aside.

Step2. Mix 1/2 cup of milk with sugar. Put on medium heat, stir constantly until starts to boil. Por the 2nd part of cream (with eggs and flour in) and stir constantly, until it starts to boil again.

Step 3, Take the cream off the gas and add the condensed milk after it cools off a little.

Your cream is ready.

Decorating:

When the sponge cake is baked and cooled off a little take it out of the tin and cut the sponge into two parts lengthwise. Now when you have two sponges choose one which will be the best for the “foundation” and cover it with your clotted cream.

Take the raspberries and put it on the first layer of your cake. I put one or two circles (one inside another) on the first layer. Put the second sponge on top of first, press a little, cover the first layer with cream and decorate with coconut shred. Put the berries on top of the cake: raspberries and strawberries will be good or bananas and kiwis will be nice as well.

Put the cake in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours (optional).

The cake tastes better when cooled off.

Enjoy!

Pancakes are a traditional dish for Ukrainians and all Slavic nations.
 Pancakes are very easy to cook and they are good with any stuffing, as well as just with honey or maple syrup.

For 1 stack of thin pancakes (12-15 thin pancakes) you will need
1-2 eggs;
0.5 cup of water and 0.5 cup of milk (1 cup of water);
2-3 drops of vanilla extract;
2-3 tablespoons of sugar;
0.5 cup of flour;
Salt on the tip of the knife;
2-3 tablespoons of sunflower/corn oil;

Mix properly all the ingredients. You can start with mixing egg(s) and water/milk, then gradually add sugar, flour and salt/ sugar. The dough shouldn’t be thick or thin. It should resemble the consistency of crème-soup.
After you have mixed everything add 2-3 tablespoons of corn/sunflower oil.

Preheat the frying pan 2-3 min at the highest heat, and then reduce to medium. Pour a little bit of oil on the frying pan, then take the soup ladle and pour one soup ladle full of dough on the frying pan.

Fry until you will see golden edges around the dough, turn the pancake over and fry another side.

*My Secret Trick*: when you take the ready pancake off the pan, cut a thin slice of butter and smear it on a hot pancake. It will melt and your pancake won’t be dry?*My Secret Trick*

When you have fried all the pancakes let them cool off then cut them in half and stuff with the cream cheese. Just cut one slice of the cream cheese, then cut this slice in 4 pieces, Put each quarter of cheese into your pancake half and then roll it up. Put the rolled up pancakes into the frying pan that you used to prepare you pancakes. Stew your pancakes on the lowest heat, so that the cream cheese could melt and the pancakes could get a golden crust:-P

Take one serving of warm pancakes, cover it with the scoop of ice-cream and enjoy!

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