Cheesecake with Apples and Streusel / Quarkkuchen mit Streusel

In Switzerland you traditionally make a cheesecake using Quark not cream cheese. That is the only way I knew it. The first time I had a New York style cheesecake was when I came to Canada, I did not really like it back then, I found it very “cheese” tasting;) But as with many things, you get used to new flavors and tastes and you start loving it.

I don’t eat so much dairy anymore, also my husband and kids have some problems with dairy, that’s why I haven’t made this in a long time. It’s a recipe from my 1982 Betty Bossi book: Kuchen, Cakes and Torten

This is a very rich, delicious cake. Tastes best after 2 -3 days.

 

Cheesecake with Apples and Streusel

Quarkkuchen mit Streusel

• 250 g butter, soft
• 125 g sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp vanilla sugar or vanilla extract
• 2 egg yolks
• 375 g unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder

-Line the bottom of a Springform with parchment paper. Grease the sides.

-In a large bowl stir the butter. Add the sugar, salt and vanilla sugar. Add the egg yolks and mix until lighter in color.

– Mix the flour and baking powder and sift into the butter mixture. Stir until well combined. It will be a soft dough. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

-Take 1/4 of the dough, it will be used as the streusel, and set aside.

-Roll out half of the remaining dough directly on the Springform base. Close the form and use the rest of the dough to form the side crust, all the way to the top.

-Prick the bottom evenly with a fork and refrigerate for another 15 minutes.

 

Quark-filling  

• 3 x 350 g Quark
• 200-250 g sugar
• 1 pk vanilla sugar or 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 50 g corn starch

-In a large bowl mix all ingredients together.

• 2-3 apples, peeled and thinly sliced

-layer apples evenly onto prepared crust. Cover with the filling. It will be very full. Cover with streusel (crumble the remaining dough).

-I put the form onto a baking sheet, there was some liquid coming out while baking.

-Bake in preheated oven 350F/180C for about 85 minutes. You might have to cover it with aluminum foil to prevent to much browning. The filling might seem a bit wiggly still, but it will firm up while cooling. Let cool in form, before releasing.

-Dust with some icing sugar.

-Cover and keep in refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make the cake at least 1 day in advance, it will taste even better after a few days.

 

 

*Quark is available in larger grocery stores here in Canada. In 350 g cups. There is only the 0% fat available. If you are in Europe you can get different kinds, use a full fat and lower fat quark in the mix.

*I sweetened the whole cake with only honey, same amount as the sugar.

 

I hope you try this wonderful cake!

Wishing everyone a great weekend!

Ursula