Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
German Quark and Fig Cheesecake
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
45 mins
1 hour 40 mins
7 hours 30 mins
Serves:
Serves 12
Yannis created this dish for Great British Bake Off ™ Series 17. This German-style baked cheesecake uses tangy quark, softened with a little cream cheese, for a filling Paul Hollywood called very delicate. It is topped with Yannis's mum's fig jam, sieved here for a silky, seedless finish, and shards...
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Ingredients
FOR THE QUARK FILLING: 2 lb (900 g) quark 8 oz (225 g) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar 3 tbsp cornstarch 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 tsp vanilla extract
FOR THE SEEDLESS FIG JAM: 1 lb (450 g) ripe fresh figs, stemmed and chopped (or about 1 1/2 cups homemade fig jam) 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 3 tbsp water
FOR THE SHORTCRUST BASE: 1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar Pinch of salt 1/2 cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, diced 1 large egg yolk
FOR THE HONEYCOMB WHITE CHOCOLATE: 6 oz (170 g) white chocolate, chopped
EQUIPMENT:
Cheesecloth
Fine-mesh sieve
Medium saucepan
Ladle
Electric stand mixer
Baking sheet
Clean, new bubble wrap (about 10 x 12 inches)
Method
STEP 1: DRAIN THE QUARK
The night before, line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth, set it over a bowl and spoon in the quark. Cover and refrigerate overnight, then discard the whey. Drained quark gives a firmer, smoother set. If quark is unavailable, use the same weight of full-fat Greek yogurt, drained the same way; it will be a little tangier.
STEP 2: MAKE AND SIEVE THE FIG JAM
Put the figs, sugar, lemon juice and water in a medium saucepan. Simmer, stirring often, for 20 to 25 minutes until thick and jammy. While still warm, press the jam through a fine-mesh sieve with the back of a ladle, scraping the underside of the sieve into the bowl. Discard the pips and skins left behind. If using homemade fig jam, warm it with 1 to 2 tbsp water and sieve it the same way. Cool completely; the jam thickens as it cools.
STEP 3: MAKE THE BASE
Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the base with parchment. Rub the flour, sugar, salt and butter together with your fingertips until sandy, then bind with the egg yolk. Press evenly over the base of the pan and chill for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F. Bake the base for 15 minutes until pale gold, then reduce the oven to 325°F.
STEP 4: MAKE THE FILLING
Beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Add the drained quark and cornstarch and beat until just combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the heavy cream, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Keep the mixing gentle so little air is beaten in, which helps prevent cracks.
STEP 5: BAKE
Pour the filling over the base and smooth the top. Bake at 325°F for 60 to 70 minutes, until the edge is set and the center still wobbles slightly.
STEP 6: COOL SLOWLY
Turn off the oven, prop the door open and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. Run a thin knife around the edge, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. This slow cooling gives the smooth, delicate texture.
STEP 7: MAKE THE HONEYCOMB WHITE CHOCOLATE
Melt the white chocolate gently in short bursts in the microwave, stirring between each, until smooth. Lay the bubble wrap bubble side up on a baking sheet and spread the chocolate thinly over it with an offset spatula. Chill for about 15 minutes until firm, then peel away the bubble wrap and break the chocolate into shards.
STEP 8: FINISH
Unmold the cheesecake onto a serving plate. Spread the seedless fig jam over the top, leaving a narrow border. Arrange the honeycomb white chocolate shards on the jam just before serving. The cheesecake keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator; add the chocolate on the day of serving.
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Instructions
FOR THE QUARK FILLING:
2 lb (900 g) quark
8 oz (225 g) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract(/interesting-ingredients/vanilla-extract)
FOR THE SEEDLESS FIG JAM:
1 lb (450 g) ripe fresh figs, stemmed and chopped (or about 1 1/2 cups homemade fig jam)
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp water
FOR THE SHORTCRUST BASE:
1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, diced
1 large egg yolk
FOR THE HONEYCOMB WHITE CHOCOLATE:
6 oz (170 g) white chocolate, chopped
EQUIPMENT:
Cheesecloth
Fine-mesh sieve
Medium saucepan
Ladle
9-inch springform pan
Electric mixer
Baking sheet
Clean, new bubble wrap (about 10 x 12 inches)
Offset spatula
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: DRAIN THE QUARK
The night before, line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth, set it over a bowl and spoon in the quark. Cover and refrigerate overnight, then discard the whey. Drained quark gives a firmer, smoother set. If quark is unavailable, use the same weight of full-fat Greek yogurt, drained the same way; it will be a little tangier.
STEP 2: MAKE AND SIEVE THE FIG JAM
Put the figs, sugar, lemon juice and water in a medium saucepan. Simmer, stirring often, for 20 to 25 minutes until thick and jammy. While still warm, press the jam through a fine-mesh sieve with the back of a ladle, scraping the underside of the sieve into the bowl. Discard the pips and skins left behind. If using homemade fig jam, warm it with 1 to 2 tbsp water and sieve it the same way. Cool completely; the jam thickens as it cools.
STEP 3: MAKE THE BASE
Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the base with parchment. Rub the flour, sugar, salt and butter together with your fingertips until sandy, then bind with the egg yolk. Press evenly over the base of the pan and chill for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F. Bake the base for 15 minutes until pale gold, then reduce the oven to 325°F.
STEP 4: MAKE THE FILLING
Beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Add the drained quark and cornstarch and beat until just combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the heavy cream, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Keep the mixing gentle so little air is beaten in, which helps prevent cracks.
STEP 5: BAKE
Pour the filling over the base and smooth the top. Bake at 325°F for 60 to 70 minutes, until the edge is set and the center still wobbles slightly.
STEP 6: COOL SLOWLY
Turn off the oven, prop the door open and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. Run a thin knife around the edge, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. This slow cooling gives the smooth, delicate texture.
STEP 7: MAKE THE HONEYCOMB WHITE CHOCOLATE
Melt the white chocolate gently in short bursts in the microwave, stirring between each, until smooth. Lay the bubble wrap bubble side up on a baking sheet and spread the chocolate thinly over it with an offset spatula. Chill for about 15 minutes until firm, then peel away the bubble wrap and break the chocolate into shards.
STEP 8: FINISH
Unmold the cheesecake onto a serving plate. Spread the seedless fig jam over the top, leaving a narrow border. Arrange the honeycomb white chocolate shards on the jam just before serving. The cheesecake keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator; add the chocolate on the day of serving.
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