European Cheese Cake Recipes

AUTHENTIC AND EASY GERMAN CHEESECAKE (KäSEKUCHEN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom of a 9" round springform pan. Add in a parchment round, then liberally grease the parchment round and sides of pan.
• For the crust: In a medium bowl, combine 2/3 cup butter, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg and the flour with a spoon until combined. Press into the bottom of the pan and lightly up the sides of the pan.
• For the cheesecake filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together remaining butter and the remaining granulated sugar with the paddle attachment until creamy, about 1 minute. Separate the eggs - one bowl of whites, and one bowl of egg yolks, and add in the egg yolks to the cheesecake batter one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in the quark or ricotta. Beat in the vanilla sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice, followed by the vanilla pudding powder. Set aside briefly.
• In another stand mixer bowl, beat the egg whites until stiffened, about 5-7 minutes. Fold the stiff egg whites into the cheesecake batter until fully incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top.
• Bake for approximately 1 hour, then turn off the oven and crack the door, leaving the cheesecake in the oven for 10 minutes. Gently remove the cheesecake and allow to come to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 2 hours to set and chill. Serve with whipped cream and berries, if desired.

AUTHENTIC GERMAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Combine sifted flour, baking powder, salt, lemon zest, sugar, and vanilla sugar or extract.
• Cut in the cold butter. Add the beaten egg and then use your hands to form into a dough.
• Wrap dough in plastic and chill in the fridge for an hour.
• After the dough has chilled, form it into a disc and then roll it out on a floured surface. Shape dough into a disc again, and roll it out once or twice more. I found the dough very crumbly and hard to work with at first, but after I rolled it out twice, it became much easier to work with.
• Roll dough out once more and then transfer to a prepared 9-inch springform pan. (See photos above for how to fold and transfer the dough to the springform pan.) Use your fingers to press the dough so that it evenly covers the bottom and all the way up the sides of the pan.
• Beat the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla sugar until pale. Add softened butter and continue beating until well combined. Add the heavy cream and beat again. Add quark (or Greek yogurt or pureed cottage cheese) and beat one more time until everything is thoroughly combined.
• Beat egg whites and salt to stiff peaks in a separate bowl. Fold egg whites and sifted cornstarch into cheesecake batter.
• Pour cheesecake batter into a 9-inch springform pan and bake on 300F for about 60 minutes. (My cheesecake needed 70 minutes.) The cheesecake is done when the edges are browned and a toothpick comes out clean. The center of the cheesecake will be a bit wiggly and it will fall as it cools - that's normal.
• Let the cheesecake cool on the counter for an hour and then several hours in the fridge. It's best to make this cheesecake the day before you want to serve it. Enjoy!

THE BEST CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• For the crust: Put the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl, cover with a paper towel and melt in the microwave in 10-second increments. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with some of the melted butter.
• Stir together the remaining butter with the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan, taking care to get the crust evenly to the edges. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool. Place the pan on a large sheet of foil and wrap up the sides. Place in a roasting pan.
• For the cheesecake: Beat together the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until just combined. Mix in the eggs by hand, one at a time, until just combined. (Take care not to overmix or the cheesecake will puff up and crack.) Pour the batter evenly over the crust, smoothing the top. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come about halfway up the sides of the foil-wrapped springform pan. Bake until the outside of the cake is set but the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
• Run a knife around the edge of the pan once more and unlock to unmold the cheesecake. Transfer to a serving platter or cake stand and smooth the edges with a knife.

EUROPEAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar well.
• Add egg, salt and vanilla.
• Blend in baking powder and flour.
• Press dough into ungreased 9 inch square cake pan.
• Beat together cheese and sugar.
• Add eggs, juice, and salt.
• Blend well.
• Pour over crust.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon if not using pie filling.
• Bake 40 mins at 350F.
• When cool, spread pie filling over cake and let chill.