Clay Pot Cheesecake

This is a novel idea, I have never thought to drip my curds in a clay pot. I may have to try this. I bet this would be a good candidate for an herbed cheesecake..

Clay Pot Cheesecake
makes 2 Cheesecakes


2 lbs dry curd cottage cheese
3/4 cup soft butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
4 egg yolks, plus
1 whole egg
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• Press dry curds through a metal sieve using a heavy duty wooden spoon.
• Cream butter, vanilla and sugar, then combine with cheese.
• Beat egg yolks and egg together, blend into cheese/butter mixture, and stir in remaining ingredients.
• Line 2 500 gram size clay flower pots with a double thickness dampened cheese cloth.
• Fill containers with cheese mixture, pressing firmly.
• Cover with dampened cheese cloth and small plate with a heavy weight on top.
• Place each cheese cake in a pie plate (to catch milky drippings) in the fridge and allow to drain for at least 24 hours (48 hrs even better).
• Unmold each cake, removing all cheese cloths.
• Replace in fridge until ready to serve.
• Decorate with strawberries cut in half just before serving, if desired.