Oma's Cheese Cake When unable to get Quark

Ingredients:

CRUST
For 9 or 10-inch pie or cake pan:
1½ cups flour
2 eggs                                                                                                                                                       butter (about 1 stick,1/4 lb.)
Pinch of baking powder
3/4 cup   sugar                                                                                                                                                                 zest of half a lemon 
3 C. flour, more if needed

FILLING:
1 cup Cottage Cheese (old fashioned kind)
mixed or put through strainer to make a smooth paste.
1 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
5 stiffly-beaten whites
1 teaspoon flour with cheese
1 / 2 pint cream
 juice of 1 lemon

In a non reactive large bowl add your eggs and softened butter

grate the lemon into the batter

Add the dry ingredients for the crust and mix, till it forms a dough. Do not over mix.

Press the crust into the pie pan, or in this case a 9 inch spring form pan.

Here is your basic cottage cheese

Rinse the cottage cheese and shake as much moisture out of it as you can.

Mush the curds, either in a food processor or put through a sieve of some sort to make creamy. This gives a smooth but still some texture of cottage cheese. Otherwise we would just use cream cheese.

On with the filling. In the upper left bowl we have mixed the egg yolks, cream, flour and lemon juice, sugar and cheese. In the upper right bowl there is the stiff beaten egg whites. In the lower pan is the crust.

Fold the egg whites into the egg mixture till smooth

Pour the filling into the crust.

I place the spring form pan on cookie sheet covered with foil. If there is any overflow it will catch it, and it also keeps the direct heat from the oven element from burning the crust. Depending on your oven bake it in a 350 to 375 degree oven for approximately an hour. You can also turn down the oven 50 degrees half way through the baking, if it looks as if it is getting too brown. You can also sprinkle cinnamon and chopped almonds on top if you like.

Here is the completed cheesecake. It is nice and brown on top. I let it cool for 30 minutes before removing the spring form pan.

Here is the cheese cake out of the pan.

The crust rises a little because of the egg, and holds the delicate filling of the Käsekuchen better.

~Blessed Easter~

Matthew 28:1-10:
1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Bread Pudding With Raisins and Pecans

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 loaf Cinnamon Raisin White Bread torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup pecan halves
Zest and juice of 1 large orange
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or rum
8 small baking apples (about 2 pounds) such as Fuji, Gala or Granny Smith, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup apple, quince, or blackberry jam or jelly

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add the bread and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until well coated.
4. Add the sugar, pecans, orange zest and juice, cider, and vanilla extract.
5. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes until a sauce begins to form.
6. In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, layer the bread mixture with the apples and dot the top with the jam or jelly.
7. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly.

Polish Easter Kolaczki

Ingredients:

• 1 (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
• 12 ounces (3 sticks) butter, softened
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 (14-ounce) cans fillings of choice (apricot, prune, raspberry, etc.)
• Confectioners' sugar

Preparation:

1. Mix cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add flour 1 cup at a time and mix well. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
   
   
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough 1/4-inch on a surface that has been dusted with equal parts confectioners' and granulated sugars (not flour), because the granulated sugar will act as ball bearings and help keep the dough from sticking. Cut into 2-inch squares. Place 1/2 to 1 teaspoon filling on center of each square. Overlap opposite corners of dough to the center over filling.
   
   
3. Bake for 15 minutes or when corners start to brown. Cool and dust with confectioners’ sugar. These tend to become soggy if held for several days, so store them tightly covered (or freeze) without the confectioners' sugar. Dust with confectioners' sugar just prior to service.

Rubharb Dump Cake

Ingredients:

• 5 cup fresh rhubarb, cut in 1 to 2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 box (3 oz.) strawberry flavored gelatin powder
• 1 box (18 oz.) yellow dry cake mix
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup water

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Spread chopped rhubarb into ungreased 9 X 13 inch baking dish.
• Sprinkle sugar over rhubarb. Sprinkle flavored gelatin powder over.
• Sprinkle dry cake mix over all. DO NOT MIX.
• Drizzle melted butter over. Gently pour water over all. DO NOT MIX)
• Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until top is nicely browned.
• Serve either hot, warm, or cold. Nice with ice cream or whipped cream.

Bienenstich Bee Sting Cake

Brioche dough:
1/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons bread flour, divided
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Caramel custard cream:
1 large egg
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/3 cups whole milk, divided
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preparation:

Difficulty: ***
Preparation Time: 1 1/2 hours plus rising and baking times
Make dough: In a small saucepan (or a small cup if you want to use the microwave), combine milk and 1 tablespoon honey and heat until it registers between 110 degrees F to 115 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Pour the mixture into bowl of an electric mixer and sprinkle over yeast. Let mixture stand for 10 minutes, until yeast is creamy.
Transfer bowl to mixer stand and attach paddle attachment. While mixing at low speed, gradually add eggs, all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt, and mix until blended. Gradually add all but 2 tablespoons of bread flour. Mix at medium speed until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Dough should not stick to sides of bowl; if it does, add some of all of remaining 2 tablespoons of bread flour until dough cleans sides of bowl. Add butter 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing at medium speed until it is blended into dough. (Dough will be very soft.) Transfer dough to a work surface and knead by hand a few times to ensure that butter is completely incorporated into dough. Shape dough into a ball and transfer it to a medium buttered bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until it has doubled in volume.
Punch dough down to deflate it, and knead it a few times. Return dough to bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or up to 12 hours). Dough should have doubled in volume. If it hasn't, let it stand at room temperature until it has.
Butter bottom and sides of a 9" spring-form pan. Shape dough into a ball and arrange it, smooth side up, in center of pan. Flatten ball gently with your palm until it covers bottom of pan. Cover pan and let dough rise until it is puffed, about 1 hour. Position a rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F about 20 minutes before dough is ready.
In a small saucepan, heat remaining 1/3 cup honey just until warm. Brush honey over top of dough, then sprinkle with almonds. Bake cake for 30 to 35 minutes, until it is a lovely golden brown and a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan, set on a wire rack, for 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan and cool cake on the wire rack completely.
Make custard : In a small bowl, whisk together egg and cornstarch. Whisk in 1/3 cup of milk until smooth; set aside.
Place remaining 1 cup milk in a small, microwavable cup and microwave at high speed until scalding, about 1 1/2 to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar with water and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and cook, without stirring and occasionally brushing down the sides of pan with a wet pastry brush, until syrup caramelizes and turns a golden amber color. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the hot milk (the mixture will bubble up). Return the pan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until any hardened caramel has dissolved and mixture is smooth.
Whisk about 1/4 cup of hot caramel mixture into egg and cornstarch mixture. Return entire mixture to saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until custard comes to a boil. Continue to boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat, scrape bottom of pan with a spatula, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in butter until melted. Quickly strain custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Whisk in vanilla extract and salt. Set the bowl containing caramel mixture in a large mixing bowl filled one-third of way with ice water (be careful that water doesn't splash into caramel mixture). Stir custard mixture frequently until it is slightly chilled, about 15 minutes. Cover surface of custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to assemble and serve cake.

Assembly:

Assemble cake: Using a long, serrated knife, cut cake in half horizontally to form two layers.

Remove caramel custard from refrigerator and beat vigorously with a rubber spatula until smooth. In bowl of an electric mixer, using whisk attachment, beat 1/2 cup heavy cream at high speed until it forms medium-stiff peaks. Gently fold whipped cream into caramel custard. Spread caramel cream over bottom layer of cake (it will be a thick layer). Top with other cake layer. Sprinkle top of cake very lightly with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to an hour before serving.

Easter Babka

INGREDIENTS:

2 packages yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
4 teaspoons salt
2 cups hot milk
1/2 cup cool water
4 eggs
raisins
9 cups flour
Turn this recipe into a puzzle! [click]

 

PREPARATION:

Soften yeast pkgs in warm water. Put sugar, shortening, salt, and milk in bowl. Stir to melt shortening. Add cool water.

Stir in eggs (beaten), yeast mxiture and raisins. Add gradually 9 cups of flour. Knead on floured surface until smooth. Let rise in a warm place (bowl) until tight and double in size.

Punch dough down, fold edge toward center. Turn upside down in bowl and cover. Let rise, divide in 2 to 4 parts. Let rise again.

Bake 375 for 35-40 min