Kefir is a relay race. Over several periods in my life I would get the urge to make it myself, so I would get a small amount of Kefir grains. But because it’s alive, it grows over time, and after a few weeks you find yourself buying milk by the gallon, and at that point really getting sick of it. When that happens I usually try to give the grains away instead of throwing them, just to keep the organism circling around until next time I get the urge.
This recipe is a good way to use a lot of Kefir. Once you have half a gallon, you can strain it in a cheese cloth to make about a quart of Kefir cheese. The original recipe called for 750ml of 5% fat fage + 300ml of yogurt, but I find Kefir cheese to be a very good substitute.
Source: hamaroch.com
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Yields: one 10” round cake
Ingredients
Crust
- 200g finely ground graham crackers
- 1 cup melted butter
Filling
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 quart kefir cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 3 large eggs
Glaze
- 450 ml sour cream
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 100 grams of white chocolate
Instructions
Crust
- To grind the graham crackers I use a ziplock bag and a rolling pin
- Transfer to a bowl and pour the melted butter
- Line a baking pan with parchment paper and pack the mixture tightly
- Refrigerate while working on the filling
Filling
- Preheat oven to 375
- Mix the dry ingredient with a fork
- Add the rest, and mix with a whisk so that there are no lumps
- Pour over crust
- Bake for about 40 minutes. The cake should be light and not golden, stable and slightly vibrating but not liquid
- When ready, remove from the oven, spread the icing on the cake and return to the oven to continue baking
Icing
- Melt the white chocolate in the microwave or on a ben marie for a smooth, lump-free mixture
- Mix the other ingredients separately
- transfer 2 tablespoons of the sour cream mix to the white chocolate, stir and then transfer the chocolate back to the bowl with the cream
- Mix to a uniform mixture and spread on the cake once it is ready
- Continue baking for 5 additional minutes
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Refrigerate for at least five hours
