Kraków-style cheesecake with lattice Recipe
A classic Polish cheesecake on a shortcrust base with a characteristic lattice of pastry on top. In many homes it appears on the holiday table alongside poppy seed cake and gingerbread, but it’s just as good with Sunday coffee. It’s dense, vanilla-scented, with a delicate hint of orange peel.
Kraków-style cheesecake with lattice is the essence of Kraków patisseries – dense, rich with good curd cheese, with a characteristic pattern on top that immediately evokes the holidays. Vanilla and orange peel give it an elegant, slightly retro character, like something from the display of an old café by the Planty park. It’s a cake that’s cut into neat rectangles and served with ceremony, and every bite is truly satisfying.
Chef's tips
Use curd cheese that has been ground at least twice – the fewer lumps, the smoother and more velvety the filling, but don’t mix it for too long or you’ll incorporate too much air (then it’s more likely to sink and crack). Pre-bake the base until lightly golden; otherwise, after chilling it may be doughy and damp. During baking, don’t open the oven for the first 40 minutes – a sudden change in temperature is the most common cause of a cracked top.
How to serve
It tastes best well chilled, served with strong stovetop coffee or espresso – that’s how I serve it after Christmas Eve dinner, when everyone wants “one last piece” of something substantial. For less formal occasions you can serve it with a dollop of sour cream or a little bitter orange marmalade, which nicely enhances the citrus note. This cake is perfect for the holiday table, communions and larger family dinners, as it slices and transports well.
Ingredients
- curd cheese (Polish twaróg) - 1 kg
- wheat flour - 300 g
- butter - 200 g
- powdered sugar - 80 g
- egg - 5 piece
- egg yolk - 2 piece
- sugar - 220 g
- butter - 80 g
- candied orange peel - 60 g
- vanillin sugar - 16 g
- potato starch - 30 g
- salt - 1 pinch
- powdered sugar - 20 g
Preparation
- Prepare the shortcrust pastry: put the flour, powdered sugar and a pinch of salt into a bowl and mix.
- Add cold butter cut into cubes and rub it in with your fingers or cut it in with a knife until you get fine crumbs resembling wet sand.
- Add 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk, quickly knead into a ball of dough, divide into two parts (one slightly larger for the base, the other smaller for the lattice). Wrap both parts in cling film and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Line a rectangular tin about 25×35 cm with baking paper. Roll out the larger portion of dough into a rectangle and line the bottom of the tin, pressing it in with your fingers. Prick the base in several places with a fork.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat) and blind-bake the base for about 12–15 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare the cheese filling: put the ground curd cheese into a large bowl, add sugar, vanillin sugar, potato starch, 4 eggs and 1 egg yolk.
- Mix on medium speed for about 2–3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and lump-free, but do not over-aerate it.
- Add melted, cooled butter and mix briefly with a mixer or spatula. Finally, add the chopped candied orange peel and fold in with a spoon.
- Pour the cheese mixture over the pre-baked base and smooth the top.
- Roll out the second portion of shortcrust pastry and cut it into strips about 1.5–2 cm wide. Arrange the strips on top of the cheese mixture in a lattice pattern, gently pressing the ends to the edges.
- Place the cheesecake in an oven preheated to 170°C (top and bottom heat) and bake for about 50–60 minutes, until the filling is set and the lattice is nicely golden. The centre may still wobble slightly when you move the tin.
- After baking, turn off the oven, open the door a few centimetres and leave the cheesecake inside for about 15–20 minutes so it doesn’t collapse suddenly.
- Remove the cheesecake, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Before serving, dust the top with powdered sugar and cut into rectangles.
Storage
Store the cheesecake in the fridge, preferably covered or in a container so it doesn’t absorb other odours. It keeps its best texture for 3–4 days; slice only as much as you plan to serve and keep the rest whole to prevent it from drying out.
