With Shavuot coming up on 11th June, JLife asks Robert Rosenfield, master baker and owner of Manchester-based kosher bakery State Fayre, some cheesecake-related questions, among other things…
How did State Fayre come about?
It’s a family business that dates back to my great-grandfather. He came over to Manchester from Poland and launched what was then called Tobias Bakery. The bakery became known as State Fayre after my dad bought a shop with the name and this new name stuck. It has grown over the years and today we have two shops. We launched the coffee shop in Whitefield three years ago, which is really popular. It’s already tricky splitting my time between two shops, but hopefully we’ll be able to expand in a year or so.
Have you always been a baker?
Although this is a family business, my path to becoming a baker was very different. I was originally a journalist and I worked at a national paper for two-and-a-half years before being made redundant. After that, I went on to study bakery technology at university, where I was thrown in at the deep end. My baking skills grew from there and I ended up helping dad out. I have introduced contemporary ideas that I combine with the traditional side of the bakery business.
Shavuot is fast-approaching. What is the secret to a good cheesecake?
It depends. There are so many recipes out there but you need a decent recipe and you need to make sure you measure the ingredients exactly. Mix and weigh everything exactly and you should be onto a winner. We’ve perfected it at State Fayre.
Why do we eat cheesecake – and dairy – at this time of year?
One of the main reasons I think is that when the Jewish people received the Torah at Mount Sinai, they realised their food and cooking pots were not kosher, so the alternative was to eat dairy, which needs no preparation. Cheesecake, therefore, became a sweet way of rounding off a meal at this time of year.
Your cheesecake gained nationwide acclaim, thanks to your star turn on ITV’s Britain’s Best Bakery a few years ago. How did this come about?
The producers approached us and asked if we wanted to enter. We went on to win the heat for the whole of the North West with our chocolate cheesecake. Business spiked and visitors came from all over the country to try our food. It was great!
What was the first bake you perfected?
Challah. It took a while to learn how to perfect the different strands and it was a real achievement perfecting a six-strand piece. I started out practising on Plasticine.
Is this your favourite bake today?
I have a very sweet tooth so I do love making cheesecake – although I found out recently I’m lactose intolerant! I love a good bagel as well. Tuna and cheese melt is my favourite.
What are the key ingredients to creating a successful kosher bakery?
You need the right equipment, the right baking ingredients and the right team behind you.
What sets State Fayre apart?
We have a loyal team that strives to create fresh, great-quality products in a relaxed environment using a modern approach.
And finally, your favourite magazine is…? Just kidding!
NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
Robert sent us this chocolate cheesecake to try for ourselves over Shavuot.
Serves six
Preparation: two hours
INGREDIENTS
150g (5oz) digestive biscuits
45g (1 ½oz) butter
110g (4oz) caster sugar, divided
120ml whipping cream
150g (5oz) dark chocolate, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons cocoa powder mixed with a little hot water
1 (200g) tub cream cheese
METHOD
Crush the digestive biscuits and mix with the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of the caster sugar. Press into an 18cm (7 in) cake tin and refrigerate. In a bowl, whip the cream until at the soft peak stage. Add the cooled melted chocolate, then the cocoa powder mix. Blend well and set aside.
Beat the cream cheese and remaining sugar together. Fold in the cream and chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly, and then spread into the tin on top of the crushed biscuits. Freeze for one hour, then refrigerate for about 30 minutes and serve.
