Passover Cheesecake

(Dairy)

Suzanne Weixel

Food Editor's Notes:

This is a good, basic cheesecake, very easy to make. Serve it plain or top with berries. I used one tin of store-bought chocolate macaroons for the crust, chopping them in the food processor to make crumbs. You can vary the taste by using different flavors of macaroons.

Ingredients

2 cups macaroon crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter
4 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix macaroon crumbs and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (ungreased). Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl at medium speed until very well blended. Add eggs and mix again until smooth. Pour batter into pan and bake for at least 60 minutes or until firm. The top of the cake will be browned.

Remove cake from the oven and run a knife around the inside edge to loosen it. Let cool in the pan. Take off the sides of the pan and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve plain or with strawberries.

Suzanne Weixel is a writer who lives in Marlborough, Massachusetts. She is a wonderful cook and always makes this cheesecake for family and friends during the Passover holiday.