Quark Cheesecake/Topfentorte
"This light cake made with layers of spongy genoise, jam, and fluffy quark cheese mousse is a favorite of mine. It's an excellent springtime or brunch cake. I like it with fresh fruit, and I often arrange concentric circles of raspberries and blueberries on top"--Kurt Gutenbrunner I say it makes a gorgeous, delicious and highly digestible cake for any time of year.
Ingredients
For Sugar Dough
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 large egg
- Pinch salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
For Genoise
- cooking spray
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tsp unsalted butter, melted
For Mousse
- 4 sheets gelatin
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup quark cheese
For Garnish
- 3/4 cup fruit preserves or jam
- 1 cup fresh berries
Instructions
Make the sugar dough:
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the confectioners' sugar until creamy, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the off and salt and beat at low speed until creamy. Add the flour and beat just until smooth.
- Remove the dough and pat into a thick square. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper, line the sides with a long strip of parchment, and spray lightly with cooking spray. Cut the dough into 4 equal squares. Reserve 3 of the remaining squares for another use.
- Roll the remaining square into an 8 1/2-inch round, and transfer to the prepared pan. Bake the dough until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Make the genoise:
- Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and dust lightly with flour.
- In a large bowl, set over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is frothy and very warm, but not hot, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and beat at medium-high speed until the mixture has cooled slightly and doubled in volume, 3 to 4 minutes. Sift the flour with the cornstarch over the batter and fold in. Fold in the butter until just smooth.
- Using an offset spatula, spread the batter in the prepared pan. Transfer to the oven and bake until the genoise is light brown and spongy, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let cool completely on a rack. Remove the sides of the springform pan and carefully flip the genoise onto a cutting board.
Meanwhile, make the mousse:
- Soak the gelatin sheets in a bowl of ice water until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain, squeeze out as much water as possible, and put the gelatin in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk the sugar with the egg yolks and lemon juice until tripled in volume and very shiny, about 4 minutes. Add the gelatin sheets and beat until dissolved. Remove the bowl from the heat and let the mixture cool completely.
- Fold the quark into the egg-yolk mixture. Gradually fold in the whipped cream.
- Using a long serrated knife cut the genoise into 2 horizontal layers.
- Spread a thin layer of jam on the sugar dough in the pan. Set the bottom layer of genoise on the dough, cut side up. Pour in the mousse and gently tap the pan on the work surface so that the mixture flows down the sides. Set the second genoise layer on top, cut side down, and gently press it. Freeze overnight
- Release the sides of the pan and remove the parchment paper. Spread a layer of jam on top of the cake. Transfer to a cake plate, decorate with the fresh berries, and serve.
- To serve/cut beautiful slices: dip a smooth, 12-inch knife into very hot water and press straight down through the cake. Clean knife and re-dip into hot water for each slice.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!