This is a pie that most of my friends like it, specially one friend called Dan. When I cook this pie I remember of his face eating it at my kid’s One year old party.
It is simple to make and and it is fresh and light for summer time.

I wanted to prepare a cake for my husband’s birthday on Monday but because I’m not a very experienced baker yet I rather do things I know it works.

The only change I did in this recipe is that I wanted to turn into a vegetarian recipe so all my friends who keep Kosher can eat it.
The main difference between agar agar and gelatin is the source from which they are derived. Agar is a vegetarian substitute for Gelatin.
“Agar, also known as agar-agar, is a mix of carbohydrates extracted from seaweed, specifically Red Sea algae. It’s also known by its Japanese name, Kanten. Agar-agar has no flavor, odor or color so it’s helpful as a culinary ingredient. It can be used to substitute for gelatin, thicken soups, and make jams and jellies, ice cream, and other desserts that need to set.”
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-agar-agar/
That was the very first time I used it. In this recipe I thought one tea spoon would be enough but I think it was less firmer than I wished, so add 2 teas spoons instead.

I think gelatin into pie mixture makes it firmer and easier process to prepare it but if you’re vegetarian and wishes for a tasty refreshing dessert, that is an option for you.

ingredients:

for the Dough:

250 gr of no name Honey Graham Crumbs
1/2 cup of becel pro active margarine
add lemon zest from one lemon
3 table spoons of crushed pecans

Cheese Mixture:

2 tea spoons of agar agar powder dissolve in 1/2 cup of water (  I advice for better firm result if you don’t mind to NOT be kosher than use regular gelatin buy Knox® Unflavoured Gelatine and use one envelope to this recipe and follow their preparation instructions)
one can of thick cream ( the best one you find that Asian products at Superstore, photo attached)
200 gr of Ricotta
100 gr of Goat cheese

2 table spoon of cream cheese
1 tea spoon of vanilla extract
3 table spoon of non pasteurized honey

1 table spoon of lemon juice

topping:

one cup and 1/2 of strawberries, raspberries and Saskatoon berries jam, 1 scooped granadilha ( or passion fruit )- for the Jam I use Organic Raw sugar ( 3/4 cup)

1 vanilla bean opened and removed the small seeds

peels from 1/2 orange, 1/2 gratted apple
1 table spoon of lemon juice

1 package of pineapple flavored gelatin dissolved in 150 ml of hot water ( or citric jelly)

Preparing the dough:

In a big bowl mix with your hands all the ingredients and after you mixed well line up in the bottom of an Aluminum Cake Pan with Removable Bottom, Round, 8 by 3-Inch. (we got a SPRINGFORM PAN 8″Product #064019004000 from http://boutique.ricardocuisine.com/en/catalogue/product_details/0640190040000-springform-pan-8-20-cm that features a design for easy removal and serving.)
Than preheat oven to 375 F and and bake for 8 min and remove it and wait to be room temperature.

Preparing the cheese mixture:

How to prepare the agar agar:
dissolve 2 tea spoons of agar agar in 1/2 cup of water, get a small pan and in low heat using a wood spoon mix well until the mixture boil for 45 seconds/one minute.

than in a bowl add one can of thick cream,200 gr of Ricotta,100 gr of Goat cheese,2 table spoon of cream cheese, 1 tea spoon of vanilla extract, 3 table spoon of non pasteurized honey ,1 table spoon of lemon juice and use a mixer or blender for 3 minutes.Than Add the agar agar you just prepared it ( or the Knox gelatin dissolve in 1/3 hot water)  to the cheese mixture with a spoon gently mix for less than a minute.
Add this mixture on top of the baked dough and put in the fridge for 4 hours.

Topping:

While you wait the pie to be cool down prepare a wild berries jam.
In a pan , medium heat add 1 cup of chopped strawberries, 1 cup of raspberries and 1/2 cup of Saskatoon berries (one of my patients picked up in the forest for me) and one scooped granadilha  and 1/2 grated apple with the peel. Add the orange peels and the vanilla beans seeds + the bean to get all the best flavor from it.
Than I added 3/4 cup of organic raw sugar cane sugar and once it boils put the heat on low and wait 40 min and pay attention to don’t burn it, mix once in a while.If you think is getting too tick just add a bit of water.Turn off the heat and add 1 table spoons of squeezed lemon. After jam was done I removed the bean. Add than 250 ml of the jam you just prepared in a separate bowl and add one 1 package of pineapple flavored gelatin dissolved in 150 ml of boiling water. ( you can use orange flavored gelatin or any citric type) The pineapple flavored gelatin I found at the Portuguese FISH market on William avenue.
Wait to cool down in room temperature.

After 4 hours, add the jam on top of the cheese and put back in the fridge for one more hour and you can serve it,  I normally do in the morning to eat at dinner time. I prepared it for Shabbat dinner, taking advantage of my Friday off. I started preparing it at 10 am. Before serving it add a plate under the SPRINGFORM PAN 8″ (20 CM) and remove bottom carefully. I suggest that before you open the pie pan use a sharp knife to detach the corners of the pie to do not break it.

On top of the pie I decorated with fresh raspberries and mint leaves

I normally serve this cake with Barefoot Wine Bubbly Pink Moscato and celebrate birthdays! Happy birthday to my lovely Husband !