European Cheesecake Food

GERMAN CHEESECAKE (KäSEKUCHEN)

Steps:

• Add the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder into a medium-sized bowl and give everything a stir with a spoon.
• Cut up the cold butter into small cubes and add them into the bowl. Also, add the vanilla extract and the egg into the bowl.
• Mix everything with the spiral dough hooks of your electric mixer or your clean hands until the dough is well combined and forms a ball. Cover the bowl with cling film and place it in the fridge.
• In a separate large bowl, mix the eggs with the sugar using the normal beaters of your electric mixer until you have a creamy mixture. Add the pudding powder and vanilla extract and mix again until everything is well combined. Then add the oil and the lemon zest and mix again.
• In another bowl, whip the cream using clean (!) beaters of your electric mixer.
• Fold the whipped cream and quark into the mixture in the large bowl little by little using a spatula or large spoon. Make sure everything is well combined and there are no lumps. Set the mixture aside.
• Line the bottom of your 9 1/2 inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides. Also preheat the oven to 330 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Take out the dough from the fridge and sprinkle your countertop with a little bit of flour. Roll out your dough using a rolling pin until it is just a bit larger than your springform pan. Place the rolled out dough into the pan and press it into place. You should have a crust of approx. 1 inch going up the sides of the pan.
• Once your crust is fitted well, pour the filling into the pan and make sure it is evenly distributed using a spatula or spoon.
• Bake the cake in the lower third of your oven for 60-70 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool fully before removing the ring of the springform pan. You can dust the cheesecake with powdered sugar before serving (optional).

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.

DEVIL'S FOOD CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Early in the day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and generously butter the bottom and sides of one 9-inch springform pan (preferably a nonstick one). Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides.
• To make the cheesecake layer, put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl a couple of times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 cup sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each. Beat in the cream just until it's completely blended. Be careful not to overmix!
• Gently spoon the batter into the foil-wrapped springform and place it in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the springform. Bake the cake at 350 degrees F until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove the cake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and cool in the pan for 2 hours, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate (while still in the pan) until it's completely cold, about 4 hours. Place in the freezer until ready to assemble the cake.
• Meanwhile, prepare the devil's food cake layers. Check that the oven is preheated to 350 degrees F and that the water bath has been removed. Generously butter the bottom and sides of three 9-inch round layer cake pans. Very important: Line the bottom of all three pans with parchment or waxed paper (don't let the paper come up the sides).
• Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. Cream the butter and both sugars together in a large bowl with the mixer on medium until light yellow and creamy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the melted chocolate and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture, alternately with the milk, mixing well after each until blended.
• Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean medium-size bowl and beat with clean, dry beaters on high until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Fold about one-third of the whites into the chocolate batter until they disappear, then gently fold in the remaining whites. Don't worry if you still see a few white specks--they'll disappear during baking. Divide the batter evenly between the three pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, about 30 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 15 minutes, then remove the cakes from the pans and gently peel off the paper liners. Let cool completely, about 2 hours, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or until ready to assemble the cake.
• Early on the day you plan to serve the cake, make the chocolate curls and lay them out on the marble or baking sheet to dry. Now make the frosting: In a large bowl, sift the confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and salt together. In another large bowl, cream the butter with a mixer on high until light yellow and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. With the mixer still running, beat in the chocolate, corn syrup, and vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the sugar-cocoa mixture in two additions, beating well after each. Blend in the cream until the frosting is a spreading consistency, adding a little more cream if needed. Whip the frosting on high until light and creamy, about 2 minutes more.
• To assemble the cake, remove the cheesecake from the freezer and let stand at room temperature about 10 minutes. Place one layer of devil's food cake, top side down, on a cake plate and spread with some of the frosting. Release and remove the ring of the springform, then remove the frozen cheesecake from the bottom of the pan. Place top side down on the frosted cake layer and spread with some frosting. Top with the second devil's food layer, top side down. Spread with more frosting and cover with the third devil's food layer, top side up. Brush away any crumbs from the sides and top of the fudge cake layers. Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting, spreading the top with frosting about 1/2 inch deep. Use a long metal spatula that has been warmed under hot running water to smooth out the frosting on the sides and top of the cake. Coat the sides with the chocolate curls, placing them where you want. With a small spatula or table knife, swirl the frosting on top into a decorative design. Or, if you wish, decorate with a crosshatch design: Make about 6 vertical lines, 1 inch apart, then crisscross 6 more horizontal lines the same distance, swirling the icing a little as you go.
• Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours to allow the cheesecake to thaw enough to easily slice. Use a sharp straight-edge knife, not a serrated one, to cut it. Cover any leftover cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate, or wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.
• Chocolate Curls: At Junior's, the bakers often use dark chocolate curls to decorate cheesecakes for a delicious and very professional looking finish.
• For large chocolate curls:
• If you have a marble slab, use it. If not, use a baking sheet (place the sheet in the refrigerator to chill first).
• Melt the chocolate over low heat. Spread it out in a thin sheet on the flat marble surface--but not so thin that you can see the surface through the chocolate. Let the chocolate cool.
• Using a baker's bench scraper or a wide, flat metal spatula, scrape up the chocolate into wide curls, lifting them up as you work. The curls will be different widths and lengths, but that's fine. If the chocolate curls up into one long sheet, let it cool more before scraping again. Carefully place the curls where you want them on the cake. If you are decorating the side of the cake with them, press the curls gently into the frosting with your fingers so they stay, without falling off.
• For smaller chocolate curls:
• Buy a thick bar of chocolate and use at room temperature (not straight from the refrigerator). Stand up the chocolate bar vertically, slightly on an angle, against a flat surface, such as a chopping board. Slowly scrape down the bar with a vegetable peeler, allowing the chocolate to fall away into a pile of soft curls. Using a wide, flat metal spatula, carefully place them on the cake.

CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Toss the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar in a medium bowl until well combined. Firmly press into the bottom and 1 inch up the side of a 9-inch round springform pan. Bake until firm and a few shades darker, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 300˚ F.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and slightly fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the heavy cream until combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Pour the filling into the cooled crust.
• Bake until the cheesecake is set around the edges but the center still jiggles slightly, 1 hour to 1 hour 25 minutes. Turn off the oven. Keep the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar slightly, 20 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven and run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the cheesecake cool completely, then refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove the springform ring, then slice the cheesecake.
• Drain two 14.5-ounce cans tart cherries, reserving 1/3 cup liquid. Combine the drained cherries, 1 cup bottled tart cherry juice, 2/3 cup sugar, 1/2 vanilla bean (add the pod and the seeds) and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Simmer until syrupy, 20 minutes. Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch into the reserved cherry liquid, then pour into the saucepan. While stirring, bring to a boil and cook 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 teaspoon almond extract; let cool. Discard the vanilla bean. Refrigerate until chilled.
• Heat 2/3 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup malt powder in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking, until the powder is dissolved and the mixture is steaming. Pour over 6 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate in a bowl; let stand 3 to 5 minutes. Stir until smooth, then let stand until thickened, 20 to 40 minutes. Pour over the cheesecake and spread with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with chopped malt balls. Let set about 20 minutes.
• Slice a 2-inch piece of ginger into thin rounds. Combine the ginger with 1/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook until syrupy, about 10 minutes. Let cool, then remove the ginger and stir in 1/2 teaspoon lime zest. Toss the ginger-lime syrup with 3/4 cup chopped pineapple, 2 chopped kiwis and 1/2 chopped mango.

GERMAN FARMER'S CHEESECAKE TOPFENTORTE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 325°F Lightly butter a 9-inch round springform pan.
• TO MAKE THE CRUST: Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks, lemon zest, and vanilla and pour into the well. Stir with a fork until the mixture is well moistened and the crumbs hold together when pressed between your fingers. Gather up the dough. Press it firmly and evenly into the pan, bringing the dough about 3/4 inch up the sides. Pierce the dough all over with a fork and refrigerate for 2 minutes.
• Bake until the crust is set and barely beginning to color, about 12 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
• TO MAKE THE FILLING: Rub the farmer's cheese through a wire sieve into a medium bowl. Add the sour cream, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the milk, cornstarch, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt and beat with a handheld electric mixer on medium speed until combined. One at a time, beat in the egg yolks.
• Using CLEAN beaters, beat the 5 egg whites in a medium bowl on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until the whites form stiff, shiny peaks. Stir about one fourth of the whites into the cheese mixture, then fold in the remainder. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and spread evenly. Sprinkle the raisins and almonds over the top.
• Bake until the sides of the filling are gently puffed and barely touched with golden brown, even though the center will seem unset when the pan is give a jiggle, about 40 to 45 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and immediately run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan to release the cake. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Remove the sides of the pan. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve chilled, using a hot, wet knife to slice the cake. Makes 12 servings.
• MAKE AHEAD: The cheesecake can be made up to 2 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated.
• Kaffeehaus.Rick Rodgers.

CLASSIC ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 325°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar. Press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat ricotta cheese, 1-1/4 cups sugar and flour in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add whipping cream, vanilla and zest; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing just until blended after each addition. Pour over crust.
• Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

ISOLDE'S GERMAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9 inch springform pan.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until smooth. Mix in 1 egg, then stir in the baking powder and flour. Knead together into dough. Press into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan.
• Mix together the quark, oil, 3/4 cup white sugar, vanilla sugar, and pudding mix in a large bowl until smooth. Blend in the egg yolks, egg, milk, and lemon juice; pour mixture into the prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven until the filling no longer moves when you shake the pan, about 1 hour.

AUTHENTIC GERMAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Mix together the sugar, cornstarch, and flour and set aside.
• Combine the cream cheese and cottage cheese; beat with an electric mixer at high speed until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the softened butter. Gradually add the sugar mixture, beating until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, blending well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla and mix just until smooth.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake rest in the oven with the door closed for 2 hours. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Chill for 4 hours or overnight.

GERMAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Sprinkle the crumbs over the bottom and up the sides of a greased 10-in. springform pan. In a blender or food processor, puree cottage cheese; set aside. , In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar. , Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon juice, vanilla, flour, sour cream and pureed cottage cheese. , Pour into pan. Bake at 325° for 60-70 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Slice with a wet knife.