hallmark croatian cheesecake
Ingredients
- Preheat oven to 325
- CRUST:
- 1.25 cups graham crackers, crushed finely
- 3/4 cup almonds, sliced and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup wheat germ
- 7 Tbl.salted butter, melted
- FILLING:
- 1.5 cup cottage cheese, 4%, small curd, drained
- 1 cup whipped cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 4 Tbl. AP flour
- Zest and juice of 1.5 lemons
- 1 (6 oz.) container Greek lemon yogurt
- ½ cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Coat the pan (bottom and sides) with cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper the size of the round bottom and place in the pan.
- Put the graham crackers, almonds, wheat germ and butter in a medium size mixing bowl. Blend well with your hands. Put into the pan and pat down well firming the crust.
- In a large mixing bowl, put the cottage cheese, whipped cream cheese, sugar, eggs and flour. Whisk together well. Add the lemon juice and zest. Blend together well. Pour into the pan.
- Place the pan on a cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 325 oven about 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick basically comes clean from the center. (Note: Doneness also is evident when the top begins showing 'cracks'.)
- Remove to a cooling rack. Take a butter knife and gently move around the perimeter of the cheesecake loosening the sides.
- Disengage the pan when the cheesecake is completely cooled.
- If not serving immediately, cover well with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- When ready to serve, put the lemon yogurt on the top spreading around. Sprinkle on the blueberries. Refrigerate or slice immediately.
Notes
Sometimes I love to make the crust thicker. If you like that, simply add about another 1/2 to 3/4 cups of graham crackers, 1/4 cup of wheat germ and another two tablespoons of melted butter into the mixture.
This cheesecake keeps well for several days in the refrigerator. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Don't think of this cheesecake as just for dessert. As a kid, I would eat it for breakfast!
If you want more of a 'thin' cheesecake, use a 9x13 pan, then you can cut cheesecake squares.
https://allyskitchen.com/hallmark-croatian-cheesecake/
