German Cheesecake with Quark Käsekuchen Recipe
Käsekuchen is a German-style cheesecake, usually lighter than the Polish version because it’s often made with added yogurt or cream and without a heavy topping. In Germany it’s a classic for afternoon coffee, especially on Sundays when families meet for “Kaffee und Kuchen”. It has a delicate, creamy texture and a thin base.
This German-style cheesecake is lighter than many traditional Polish cheesecakes thanks to the addition of yogurt and the absence of a heavy topping. The thin base and creamy, delicate filling make it perfect for an afternoon coffee, just like in German “Kaffee und Kuchen” tradition.
Chef's tips
Use good-quality, smooth quark so the filling is creamy and without lumps. All ingredients should be at room temperature to prevent the cheesecake from cracking. Avoid overbeating the mixture after adding the eggs to keep it from rising too much and then collapsing.
How to serve
Serve the cheesecake well chilled, plain or with a simple fruit topping such as fresh berries, raspberry sauce or a dusting of icing sugar. It pairs beautifully with freshly brewed coffee, cappuccino or black tea.
Ingredients
- wheat flour for the base - 200 g
- butter cold, for the base - 100 g
- sugar for the base - 60 g
- egg for the base - 1 piece
- baking powder - 0.5 teaspoons
- ground quark full-fat or semi-fat, smooth - 800 g
- plain yogurt thick - 200 g
- sugar for the cheesecake mixture - 180 g
- egg for the cheesecake mixture - 4 pieces
- vanilla pudding powder powder, unsweetened - 40 g
- lemon zest grated, only the yellow part - 1 teaspoon
- vanilla extract or vanilla sugar - 1 teaspoon
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat). Line the bottom of a springform tin about 26 cm in diameter with baking paper and grease the sides with butter.
- Put the flour, sugar and baking powder into a bowl. Add the cold butter cut into cubes and the egg.
- Quickly knead the dough by hand until the ingredients come together and form a smooth ball. If the dough is very sticky, add 1–2 tablespoons of flour.
- Roll out the dough or press it into the bottom of the springform tin, forming a low rim about 2 cm high. Prick the base several times with a fork.
- Pre-bake the base for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then remove and set aside.
- In a large bowl mix the quark, yogurt, sugar, pudding powder, lemon zest and vanilla until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition, but do not beat for too long so as not to incorporate too much air.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture onto the pre-baked base and smooth the top.
- Place the cheesecake in the oven, reduce the temperature to 160°C and bake for about 50 minutes. The top should be set, but when you gently shake the tin, the centre may still wobble slightly.
- After baking, turn off the oven, open the door slightly and leave the cheesecake inside for 15–20 minutes so it cools slowly and sinks less.
- Then remove from the oven, cool to room temperature and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
Storage
Store the cheesecake covered in the fridge and consume within 3–4 days. Slice only as much as you need to keep the rest from drying out.
