Happy and safe deepavali to everyone celebrating!

A delectable cake with creamy cottage cheese/paneer – perfectly compliments this festive season. If you are using homemade paneer make sure they are dry (like the store brought) and not moist.

You need –

• Chocolate cookies – 200 grams
• Coco powder – 1 tablespoon
• Caster sugar – ½ cup + 1 tablespoon
• Unsalted butter – 40 grams, melted
• Paneer or Farms style Cottage cheese– 500 grams, Crumbled
• Sour cream – 1/3 cup
• Egg – 1 @room temperature
• Vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
• Corn flour – 2 teaspoons

How to –

Pre-heat the oven to 160 C. Grease an 8 inch spring form cake pan and set aside.

In a food processor, place the cookies, coco powder and 1 tablespoon sugar and pulse to coarse crumbs.  Now add the melted butter and pulse till well incorporated.

Take half the cookie mixture and spread it onto the prepared cake tin and press down with a back of a spoon till the crust is even and refrigerate.

In a bowl place the cottage cheese/paneer and sour cream; with a spatula mix till well combined. In a mixing bowl add the egg, ½ cup sugar, vanilla and beat till pale and thick. Fold in the cornflour and cottage cheese/paneer. Spread the mixture over the prepared cookie base. Now sprinkle the remaining cookie mixture over the top.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or till set but still gentle wobble in the middle. Remove and allow to cool completely. Once cooled; cover with a cling wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To serve, run a sharp knife around the cake and gently unlock the spring form pan. Dust with some coco powder, slice and serve.