Grandma's cheesecake recipe: A creamy, festive delight
Cheesecake is a must-bake for Christmas. Therefore, it's worth paying special attention to its ingredients and preparation. That doesn't mean you have to use expensive products or spend long hours in the kitchen. The cheesecake from this recipe is exceptionally easy to prepare and always turns out creamy and delicate.
The secret of grandma's cheesecake is the two types of cheese. The mixture includes not only triple-ground quark but also mascarpone cheese. The fluffiness is due to the stiffly beaten egg whites, which are added to the cheese mixture at the end. You beat all the ingredients with a mixer, achieving an effect like mixing in a mortar.
Ensure quality ingredients for your cheesecake
The foundation of a cheesecake is good quark. Although you might be tempted to use pre-made bucket mixes, it's worth opting for regular white cheese in a block. Want a silky taste? Choose a fatty one and grind it three times with a meat grinder. If you don't have a grinder, you can use a blender.
The second ingredient not worth skimping on is vanilla sugar. In most stores, you'll find a cheaper substitute in the form of vanillin sugar. Instead of real vanilla, it contains a synthetically derived substitute with a similar aroma, usually made from flavoured wood pulp.
Try preparing sugar with seeds from a vanilla pod yourself, and you'll see how beautifully and deeply your baked goods will be aromatized.
How to make a delicate cheesecake from grandma's recipe?
Here are the ingredients for a cheesecake you bake in a 24 cm diameter springform pan:
- 500 grams of quark, ground three times,
- 250 grams of mascarpone cheese,
- 150 grams of powdered sugar,
- 4 eggs,
- 2 tablespoons of potato flour,
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar,
- a pinch of salt.
Preparation
- Separate the yolks from the whites. Mix the ground quark with yolks, powdered sugar, and vanilla sugar.
- Then add potato flour, a pinch of salt, and mascarpone cheese, spoon by spoon. Mix all of it with a mixer to achieve a cohesive mass.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Add them to the cheese mixture and gently mix with a wooden spoon or cake spatula.
- Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Place the cheesecake inside to bake for 60 minutes. After baking, turn off the oven, but don't remove the cheesecake yet. Leave it to cool with the door slightly open.
How to make a creamy cheesecake with a festive touch?
You can add grated orange zest and cinnamon to the cheese mixture, perfectly complementing the vanilla aroma. However, if you don't want to add anything inside, a good idea for a festive touch is decoration. You can glaze the cheesecake with white or milk chocolate coating. Top it with candied orange peel, ground walnuts, or almond flakes.
