German Cheesecake, Kasekuchen
A German-style baked cheesecake, lighter and less sweet than the New York kind, set on a tender pastry base and finished with cinnamon cream.
By Steven Russell
German
A German-style baked cheesecake, lighter and less sweet than the New York kind, set on a tender pastry base and finished with cinnamon cream.
Kasekuchen is the cheesecake of German home kitchens. It is built on quark, a fresh, tangy cheese that bakes up lighter and cleaner than the dense, sugary American style. The base is a simple sweet pastry rather than a crumb crust, which gives it a proper edge.
The top bakes to a soft gold and settles as it cools. A dollop of cinnamon-scented whipped cream and a few blueberries are all it needs to finish.
Rub the flour, cold butter, pastry sugar, and yolk together into a dough, press into the base of a springform pan, and chill.
Why Keeping the butter cold gives a short, tender crust that stays crisp under the filling.Whisk the quark with the filling sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth.
Why The cornstarch stabilizes the fresh cheese so the filling sets soft rather than weeping.Beat the egg whites to soft peaks and fold them gently into the filling.
Why The whipped whites lighten the batter, which is what gives Kasekuchen its airy, less dense texture.Pour the filling over the chilled base and bake at 325 F for about an hour, until the center is just set with a slight wobble.
Why A low, steady oven cooks it evenly without browning or curdling the delicate filling.Turn the oven off and let the cake cool inside, then chill for at least four hours before topping with cinnamon cream and blueberries.
Why The slow cool and long chill let it settle and firm up so it slices clean.
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