This time I tried out a different type. This German cheesecake is called a käsekuchen, a light fluffy custard-like cheesecake. Instead of cream cheese, käsekuchens are made from quark. However, quark is not easy to find here in the deep South, so I resorted to a substitute, ricotta mixed with sour cream. Also, käsekuchens traditionally have a pastry-crust. I opted for a gingersnap crumb crust because one, I had a big box of gingersnaps and two, I was too lazy to make dough before making a cheesecake that day. The result was absolutely yummy. The texture was so soft and fluffy while the flavors were subtle yet tangy.
käsekuchen : german cheesecake
ingredients
- 1 box of gingersnap cookies
- 2-3 oz of butter, melted
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 oz sour cream
- 3 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 oz butter, soften and at room temperature
- 6 oz. heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
- 3 egg whites
- Pinch of salt
- break gingersnaps into crumbs with a food processor and add to melted butter. press crumb mixture into a 9 or 9-1/2 inch springform pan and set aside
- puree eight parts of ricotta cheese and sour cream in a food processor, set aside
- in a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla until pale and foamy. add the softened butter and beat well, then add the heavy cream and beat again. add the ricotta/sour cream mixture and stir until the mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined.
- in a separate clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with the salt until very stiff, then very gently fold in the cheese mixture, also adding the sifted cornstarch a little at a time. pour the filling into the pan with the crust and gently wobble the pan back and forth until the surface is smooth.
- bake in preheated 300 degrees F (150 C) oven for 50 to 60 minutes (longer if necessary) until well risen and golden.turn the oven off, and let the cheesecake rest in the oven for 1 hour or more; then remove it from the oven, cool for an hour or so at room temperature, and refrigerate for several hours before releasing sides of pan and serving. keep cheesecake stored in the refrigerator, covered.
oh wenn i saw the title to this recipe i was so happy, cause i thought "surely, she knows where to find quark." then i saw your note ;) did you have any luck finding it somewhere in the north? the irony - it's not even expensive stuff!
ReplyDeleteI just made a german cheesecake too. I was supposed to use Quark but couldn't find it either so I made it with buttermilk...it was still good :)
ReplyDeletehttp://damegoodeats.blogspot.com/2010/11/german-pumpkin-cheesecake.html
ren-yi, i will continue to hunt for quark!
ReplyDeletemiss tarrah dame, thanks for sharing your recipe. :)