Two-Cheese Cheesecake--Very Fluffy

As I already said it once, American cheesecakes are so good that I do not try to imitate them at home. Most often I just buy them. Especially those from the Cheesecake Factory taste great and come in a wide variety.

But sometimes I crave a typical cheesecake that I grew up on in Poland. It is lighter in texture than its American cousin and has slightly sour taste coming from the farmers cheese. Polish cheesecake is more complicated to make mainly because typical farmers cheese we use is not available everywhere, except some Eastern European food stores.

But years ago, when I live in England, I found in one of the British magazines a recipe that is a fusion of both. This cheesecake is very delicate is made of two cheeses that are easily available--cottage cheese and cream cheese. The combination of two, plus whipped whites, which we always add to the cheese mixture, make this cheesecake very fluffy and make it taste more like a cheese dessert than a cake.

It is made on a delicate waffle and almond crust. Since this cheesecake is more of a dessert than a cake, I like it to serve it with fruits and fruit sauce. My favorites are raspberry or strawberry, as you can see on the pictures.

Two-Cheese Cheesecake
(For a 9-inch baking form with removable high walls)

Ingredients:
6 oz (2 cups) ground lady fingers or biscuit waffles,
1/ 3 ground almonds (almond meal),
1 stick unsalted butter,
1 pack (8 oz) cream cheese,
10 oz (1 cup) cottage cheese drained on a colander,
4 tbsp heavy whipping cream,
1 cup icing sugar,
2 tbsp lemon juice,
3 eggs,
1 tbsp cornstarch,
1 box (6 oz) fresh raspberries.

Preparation:
1. Mix ground biscuits with almonds. Melt butter and add to the crumbs. Mix well and divide in two equal parts. Spread one part on the bottom of the baking form greased with butter. Press it slightly to the base of the form.
2. Preheat oven to 370 F.
3. Place both cheeses, heavy whipping cream, egg yolks, lemon juice, and cornflower in a food processor. Blend until smooth. You can also beat all the ingredients with a hand mixer.
4. In a large bowl whisk whites until stiff. Add about 1/4 cup of sugar and whisk until shiny. Fold in the rest of sugar and beat again until stiff and smooth.
5. Gently and gradually fold in the cheese mixture into whipped whites. Spread the mixture on top of the biscuit base.

6. Sprinkle on top with the rest of the biscuits.

7. Put cheesecake in the oven and bake at 370 F for about thirty minutes. After that time turn down the heat to 350 F and bake for another 30 minutes, until cheesecake's top rises slightly and biscuits turn gold.

8. Serve with whole fruits

or with a fruit sauce.

9. To make the fruit sauce, using a blender, purée a cup of raspberries or strawberries with 2 tbsp of custard sugar. If you use raspberries sieve it to remove the seeds. You can also add a tbsp of liqueur into the fruit sauce. Pour the sauce over the pieces of cheesecake and serve decorated with fruits.

Frozen Cheese Dessert--Simple Easter Delight

This is one of the many fond memories of my childhood. I rediscovered it a few years ago when we had a very hot summer-like Easter. Instead of all the baked desserts, that we traditionally serve on that occasion, I made this frozen cheese dessert. It was simply too hot for anything else.

Suggesting some relation to the Jewish Passover tradition, in Poland this dessert is called pascha, very aptly for being part of the Easter menu. It is made from farmers' cheese (twarog or quark), eggs, dried fruits, and nuts.

In my hometown, it was a specialty of a café that bore a misleading name "Cocktail Bar". It was all kids' favorite hangout, sponsored by the local dairy. It served no alcohol, closed early, and was famous for its milk shakes and other innocent delicacies, pascha among them. I went there often with my father, after a visit to an art exhibition and a Sunday walk through the old town.

Pascha and ice cream made from farmers' cheese were my favorite items on its menu. I was not allowed to eat ice cream if the weather was too cold (according to a common belief, eating ice cream on a cold day would give you cold or flu) but I was allowed to order a frozen cheese dessert as something more substantial and not as cold as ice cream. The best part of this was that I did not mind this compromise at all.

I liked it so much that I learned to make it. The original recipe included raw egg yolks, but nowadays I skip that part. I also use cream cheese instead of farmers' cheese and add honey instead of sugar, not only to sweeten it but also to compensate for the missing egg yolks. As I am not afraid of calories, to make it even more self-indulgent, I also add heavy whipping cream, or sour cream, and mascarpone.

It tastes absolutely yummy, but another nice thing about this dessert, besides its taste, is that it can be made a day or more ahead and kept in a freezer for a few weeks.

Frozen Cheese Dessert
(Serves 8-10)

Ingredients:
Two 8 oz boxes of cream cheese, room temperature,
One 6 oz box of mascarpone cheese, room temperature,
2 tbsp heavy whipping cream (or sour cream),
1 cup running honey,
2 tbsp lemon juice,
1 tsp vanilla extract,
1 and 1/2 cup different chopped dried fruits (figs, apricots, golden raisins),
1/2 cup crushed pistachios.

Preparation:
1. In a large bowl, using electric mixer beat cream cheese until smooth.
2. Add heavy whipping cream and mascarpone and beat until all cheese is combined.
3. Pour honey into the bowl with cheese and run the mixer until all the ingredients become one smooth cream, about 3 minutes.
4. Add vanilla, beat for one minute, and add lemon juice. Once again run the mixer for about two minutes.
5. Add chopped dried fruits. Mix gently with spatula.
6. Line a square dish with a plastic foil, overhanging it beyond dish walls. Pour in the cheese mix, spread it evenly and smooth  with a spatula. Sprinkle with pistachios, gently cover with the overhanging foil, and freeze for at least 8-12 hours.

Take from the freezer about 15 minutes before serving. Cut slices and serve when it is slightly soft but still frozen.