In Israel, you can usually find Israeli salad at one of the many falafel street vendors. It can be eaten in a pita sandwich wrap or on its own as a side dish. Your family will grow to love this crisp, light, and colorful salad. With a dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and mint leaves, chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and parsley are combined. Works well as a side dish with any middle eastern, Greek, or even north African food. It also pairs well in a pita with falafel, hummus, and tahini.
| Prep Time: | 25 mins |
| Cook Time: | 1 hr 3 mins |
| Additional Time: | 7 hrs 20 mins |
| Total Time: | 8 hrs 48 mins |
| Servings: | 10 |
| Yield: | 1 8-inch cheesecake |
Ingredients
- 2 (4.8 ounce) packages graham crackers, crushed
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 (8 ounce) package Neufchatel cheese, softened
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 (8 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 (12 ounce) package frozen sweet cherries
- 2 tablespoons apricot jam
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Wrap the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with aluminum foil.
- Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and salt in a bowl; mix thoroughly. Pour into the prepared pan; press tightly onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan using the bottom of a measuring cup. Freeze crust until firm, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Beat cream cheese, Neufchatel cheese, and 3/4 cup sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy, about 4 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time; add vanilla. Beat in heavy cream.
- Melt chocolate chips in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring after each melting, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat melted chocolate into the cream cheese mixture. Fold in flour.
- Pour chocolate cream cheese mixture over the chilled crust. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
- Pour 1 1/2 cup water into the pot of an electric pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot). Place the steam rack in the pot; set springform pan on top. Close and lock the lid. Set timer for 45 minutes. Set to high pressure according to manufacturer’s instructions, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Release pressure naturally according to manufacturer’s instructions, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool cheesecake to room temperature, about 1 hour.
- Combine cherries, apricot jam, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until cherries are heated through and release some of their juices, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Mix water and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Stir into the cherry mixture until thick and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; cool glaze to room temperature.
- Pour glaze over cheesecake and refrigerate until firm, at least 6 hours or overnight. Remove the springform ring and transfer cheesecake to a serving platter.
- Substitute evaporated milk for the cream if desired.
- I couldn’t get the trivet to fit, so I used a small metal bowl upside down inside the pot as a “support” for the springform pan. Worked great!
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 568 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 65 g |
| Cholesterol | 102 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Protein | 9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 18 g |
| Sodium | 420 mg |
| Sugars | 46 g |
| Fat | 32 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |