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German Cheesecake

German cheesecake or Käsekuchen recipe: light, creamy quark cheesecake topped with pearled meringue.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 40 mins
Servings: 12 -14 slices
Calories: 439 kcal
Course: Cake
Cuisine: German

Ingredients

Pastry:
  • 200 g all-purpose flour 7 oz/ 1 ⅔ cups
  • 100 g granulated sugar 3.5 oz/ ½ cup
  • 70 g unsalted butter 2.5 oz/ ¼ cup
  • 1 egg medium Germany, large US
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
Filling:
  • 500 g low-fat quark 1 lb/ 2 ½ cups
  • 150 g granulated sugar 5.5 oz/ ¾ cups
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 packet Dr. Oetker vanilla pudding powder See note
  • 1 egg medium Germany, large US
  • 2 egg yolks keep the egg whites for the meringue
  • 230 ml heavy cream 1 cup
  • 230 ml milk 1 cup
  • 150 ml vegetable oil scant ⅔ cup
Meringue:
  • 2 egg whites
  • 6 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of a springform (26 cm/10-inch diameter) with parchment paper and butter the ring.
  2. Pastry: Place all the pastry ingredients in a food processor and pulse until you obtain crumbs. Turn the crumbs onto the working surface and knead very quickly to form a ball of dough. Roll the pastry on the lightly floured surface and place it in the prepared springform taking care to cover the walls of the form as well.200 g all-purpose flour/ 1 ⅔ cups + 100 g granulated sugar/ ½ cup + 70 g unsalted butter/ ¼ cup + 1 egg + 1 teaspoon baking powder
  3. Filling: Place the quark in a large bowl and whisk it shortly until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients - sugar, vanilla, vanilla pudding powder, eggs, egg yolks, heavy cream, milk, vegetable oil - mix well and pour the mixture into the pastry-lined springform. The mixture is pretty liquid; don't worry about it.500 g low-fat quark/ 450 g + 150 g granulated sugar/ ¾ cups + 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar + 1 packet Dr. Oetker vanilla pudding powder + 1 egg + 2 egg yolks + 230 ml heavy cream/ 1 cup + 230 ml milk/ 1 cup + 150 ml vegetable oil/ scant ⅔ cup
  4. Bake the cake for about 70 minutes. After about 60 minutes, start preparing the meringue.
  5. Meringue: Place the egg whites and the icing sugar in a spotless bowl and start beating them using very clean whisks. After the 70 minutes are up, take the cake out of the oven and top it with the meringue. Then, place back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes (only 10 minutes, or you will not have the tears or sugar pearls anymore).2 egg whites + 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
  6. Let the cake cool down a little bit, then go around the edges with a knife to release the cake from the ring. Leave to cool completely on the bottom of the springform. The tears will form while the cake is cooling down.

Notes

  • Always use a digital kitchen scale in baking; it ensures the best results (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
  • Always use a digital kitchen scale in baking; it ensures the best results (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
  • Always use a digital kitchen scale in baking; it ensures the best results (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
  • Always use a digital kitchen scale in baking; it ensures the best results (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
  • I use the Dr. Oetker vanilla pudding powder, which needs to be cooked with 500 ml/ 2 cups milk. However, you will not cook it in this case; add the powder to the quark mixture. The vanilla pudding powder can be replaced with the same amount of cornstarch. In this case, add some more vanilla extract to the filling to intensify the vanilla flavor.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1slice Calories 439kcal (22%) Carbohydrates 44g (15%) Protein 9g (18%) Fat 26g (40%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Polyunsaturated Fat 15g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 100mg (33%) Sodium 109mg (5%) Sugar 29g (58%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12-14 slices

Amount Per Serving

Calories 439

% Daily Value*

Serving 1slice
Calories 439kcal 22%
Carbohydrates 44g 15%
Protein 9g 18%
Fat 26g 40%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Polyunsaturated Fat 15g 88%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 100mg 33%
Sodium 109mg 5%
Sugar 29g 58%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.