If you’ve ever yearned to make a cheesecake without cream cheese, you’re in luck.
I got this delicious recipe from Pearl, an Irish woman whom we met via our dear friend Rob, who first encountered Pearl under an extraordinary set of circumstances. Let me just say that Pearl is one of those people who has access to other-worldly matters that the rest of us don’t. She lives along the wild and windy west coast of Ireland outside of Sligo. Pearl puts together a living running an Airbnb, raising chickens, and caring for the elderly.
Pearl swims in the sea every day. Yes, every day. And she makes excellent cheesecake. I’ve had to do the usual European measurement conversions, but they work and the result is yummy.
A few thoughts on the recipe: it calls for a liter of strained Greek yogurt. Here in the U.S., our large container of yogurt is 3 ¾ cups, while a liter is 4 ¼ cups. So, to get the proportions exactly right, you’ll need a 32 oz and a second smaller container of yogurt. However, I’ve had success by simply using the large U.S. yogurt size. Obviously, it will be a bit sweeter, so follow your heart on the amount of yogurt to use. Also, while Greek yogurt is already strained, this will firm up best by straining it for a few minutes in a fine mesh sieve, or woven bag.
Pearl’s Cheesecake
For the crust:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup ground nuts
- 2 T sugar
- 6 T melted butter
Mix the dry ingredients, then add the melted butter and mix. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan and bake at 350°F for ten minutes, until slightly brown. Remove from oven while you prepare the filling.
For the filling:
- 32 oz container of full fat Greek yogurt, strained to remove any liquid
- 2 T cornstarch
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
Whisk the yogurt, sugar, vanilla, and corn starch. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking to mix. Then add the sour cream and whisk again.
Pour over the base and bake for 50 minutes at 350°F, or until the middle is mostly set.
