Middle Eastern cheesecakes to love

Labneh — a very Middle Eastern ingredient — forms the base of this cardamom-laced creation from super talented chef (and Ottolenghi co-founder) Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley. Make your own labneh or buy it from a Continental grocery store — if you do make your own give yourself enough time before you want to eat it. You’ll need an extra day for the labneh plus the overnight refrigeration to set the cake. It’s early for apricots, so swap in strawberries for the topping if you like. [If you make your own labneh, Tamimi and Wigley suggest using 850g Greek Style yoghurt to give you the right quantity.]

Israelis do love their dairy and this pistachio-topped creamy recipe from Israeli food writer Janna Gur and US-based chef Einat Admony slathers the labneh on the top for a tangy topping that balances a sweet base.
If you prefer a savoury note to your dairy — use your labneh to make these amazing labneh balls.

Kadaifi pastry brings crunchy notes to the knafeh recipe above, but is also key to this fruity favourite dish from JC recipe contributor, Fabienne Viner-Luzzato, that uses seasonal rhubarb for colour and acidity. And (bonus) these cute mini-cakes are (almost) sugar free.

If you love your cheesecake as much as we do here at the JC — find more fantastic recipes here