Honey Passover Cheesecake

This Passover cheesecake uses the more traditional sweetener of honey rather than sugar. You may use matzo cake meal rather than regular matzo meal if you prefer. It tastes delicious topped with sliced strawberries.

Ingredients:

Matzo Meal Shell:

• 1 cup matzo meal
• 1/3 cup softened butter
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon honey

Filling:

• 1 pound soft low-fat cream cheese
• 2 cups low-fat sour cream
• 2/3 cup honey
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350¯ F. Make the Shell:

Process matzo meal in food processor until it is very fine. Cut softened butter into the meal until mixture is coarse. Combine water and honey; mix well. Sprinkle this over the matzo mixture. Mix to form dough; shape into a ball.

Press the dough into bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Let cool completely.

Beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sour cream at low speed until very smooth. Set aside 2 tablespoons honey and gradually beat the remaining honey into cream cheese mixture. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla; mix well.

Pour into cooled crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a knife blade inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 425 degrees.

Combine 1-1/2 cups sour cream, reserved 2 tablespoons honey and 1 teaspoon vanilla; mix well. Carefully spread over top of cheesecake. Bake at 425 degrees 8 minutes or until the edges pull away from the pan.

Cool at room temperature and then refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Remove the sides of pan and garnish with sliced strawberries.