An Essex resident has beaten around 300 hopefuls to come up with the winning flavour as part of the United Synagogue’s Choose Your Own Cheesecake competition in partnership COCO Bakery in Golders Green.
The competition, which received hundreds of votes from across the community, saw Rebbetzen Blima Wollenberg of Woodford Forest United Synagogue being named as the winner. Her winning S’mores Cheesecake, which draws on her American roots, is currently on sale at the North London bakery ahead of Shavuot on Sunday.
Being told that she had won the Choose Your Own Cheesecake competition was ‘very exciting’ for the Rebbetzen, ‘especially as I never usually win anything!’ She also gave credit to her son, Mendel, who was responsible for entering her into the competition, and described it as ‘a win for both of us!’
The Rebbetzen is a keen baker and cook who ‘loves creating new things with food’. Her S’mores cheesecake, which contains a combination of toasted marshmallows, Graham crackers and chocolate is a firm favourite amongst regulars to the synagogue’s Shavuot kiddish where there are often over 20 flavours of cheesecake on offer – all baked by the Rebbetzen herself!
For those looking wanting to make the journey North to taste Rebbetzen’s Wollenberg’s winning creation, as well as other prize-worthy cheesecakes, COCO Bakery on Russell Parade in Golders Green is open until late every evening, apart from Fridays and Saturdays. For every S’mores Cheesecake sold COCO Bakery will make a donation to the US Chesed which does vital work supporting vulnerable members within the community.
The Rebbetzen will be waiting until Shavuout before sampling her winning cheesecake as made by COCO Bakery, adding that she ‘cannot wait’ to taste it!
