the fourth covenant - you shall eat cheesecake at a Bris

For those of you who do not know what a bris or rather a brit Milah is let me share.....

This ceremony takes place 8 days after a baby boy is born. This is considered a covenant (on par with a boy's bar mitzvah and his wedding) that celebrates one of the most meaningful traditions of Jewish faith. There are two parts to the bris ceremony; the circumcision and the giving of the Hebrew name. The baby is brought into the room by the grandmother or other honored guest, while all say , "Baruch Haba". He is then held by other family , honored guests before being held in the chair of Elijah the Prophet, whose sirit is said to be present at all brises. The child is then held by the sandek, usually grandfather if he is able, while the mohel and father bless him and th emohel performs the circumcision. It should take less than a minute.

Following the circumcision, he is held by his mother while a bracha is said over the wine, which sanctifies the cermony. He is ten given his Hebrew name. The service concoludes with the blessing of quicj healaing for the baby and his mother, motzi is said, and a festive meal or snack is served. The formal festivities take 20-30 min and may be at one's home or synagogue.

We celebrated my new cousin's Bris last weekend. As such there was a reason to celebrate and therefore bake, of course.

I made baby cheesecakes in honor of my cousin, Mya's fav dessert and her new baby boy.

Ingredients:

16 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 c. graham cracker crumbs

3 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp butter

1 kiwi

1/2 c. blueberries

1/3 c. raspberries

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating at low speed after each just until bended.

Put together crust - combine graham cracker crumbs, 3 tbsp sugar and butter.

Place crust into bottom of each 12 paper lined muffin cups; cover with cream cheese mixture.

Bake 20 min or until center s are almost set. cool. Refrigerate 3 hrs.
Peel and cut kiwi into 6 slices, then in half. Place 1 kiwi piece on each cheesecake, add berries.

Enjoy and Mazel Tov!