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Polish Cheesecake (Käse Kuchen)

This kosher Polish cheesecake (Käse kuchen), emblematic of Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, is a true delight of sweetness and nostalgia. It’s one of those recipes you find in grandmothers’ recipe notebooks, in this case, Micheline’s. It stands tall with an airy texture, thanks to the beaten egg whites.

Chloé Flam

Polish Cheesecake (Käse Kuchen)

Ingredients

Check off ingredients as you go

    For a 26-28cm (10-11 inch) pan

      For the cake base

      • 250g (2 cups) sifted flour
      • 125g (½ cup) butter (at room temperature)
      • ½ packet baking powder
      • 125g (⅔ cup) sugar
      • 2 egg yolks (save the whites for the cheese filling)
      • juice of 1 lemon (reserve 1 tbsp for the cheese filling)

      For the cheese filling

      • 750g (3¼ cups) fromage blanc or farmer’s cheese
      • 250g (1 cup) cream cheese (like St Florentin or Philadelphia)
      • 2 tbsp thick sour cream
      • 5 eggs (4 yolks + 1 for egg wash and 5 whites for beating)
      • 150g (¾ cup) sugar
      • 2 packets vanilla sugar
      • 2-3 tbsp flour or cornstarch
      • 1 tbsp lemon juice
      • zest of one lemon or orange
      • a handful of raisins (optional)

      This cheesecake is quite light thanks to the fromage blanc and beaten egg whites. If you’re looking for a firmer, creamier cheesecake, I recommend my speculoos cheesecake.

      For the shortbread base

      1. Mix all the shortbread ingredients and evenly line the bottom of a high-sided pan, smoothing the surface with the back of a spoon or glass by pressing lightly. Bake for 10 minutes at 180°C (350°F) in the preheated oven.

      Preparing the cheese filling

      1. If using them, macerate the raisins for about 1 hour in a glass of warm water with 1 teaspoon of rum or alcohol.

      2. Mix the fromage blanc and cream cheese with the sugar, vanilla sugar, and 4 egg yolks. Add the zest, lemon juice, and well-drained raisins.

      3. In a bowl or stand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff (don’t forget the whites set aside from the shortbread base).

      4. Gently fold the beaten whites into the cheese mixture. The mixture should be smooth and lump-free but don’t overmix to maintain the lightness.

      Baking the cheesecake

      1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Pour the cheese mixture over the shortbread base, brush the surface with the remaining egg yolk, and bake for 10 minutes. Lower to 175°C (350°F) and continue baking for another 50 minutes.

      2. Turn off the oven without opening it and let the cake cool inside for several hours or overnight.

      Enjoy chilled.

      Make-ahead tips

      • Like all cheesecakes, it will keep for several days in the refrigerator and will be even better the next day.

      • You can omit the cream cheese by using 1kg (4¼ cups) fromage blanc instead of 750g.

      If you want to make a speculoos base instead of the shortbread base, you’ll find it in my creamy New York-style cheesecake recipe.

      For an excellent no-bake cheesecake, click here

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