Sernik Polish Cheesecake Recipes

POLISH CHEESECAKE (SERNIK)

Steps:

• Stir the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt together.
• Add the egg yolk (reserve the egg white for the cheesecake batter), sour cream, vanilla extract, and cold butter (cut into small cubes).
• Rub the ingredients between your fingers or mix with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until the dough comes together. It will look crumbly at first but it will soon form a smooth dough.
• Divide the dough into two parts. One part should be slightly bigger than the other part (about 1-2 Tbsp), flatten each part into a disc, wrap in plastic foil, and put in a fridge for 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), Gas Mark 4, no fan.
• Grease a 10-inch (26cm) springform pan with butter (grease the sides generously) and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
• Transfer the smaller part of the crust to the freezer. Take the larger part of the crust and tear it into pieces (or cut with a knife if it's too firm). Flatten the pieces and press them into the pan to cover its bottom.
• Prick the crust with a fork several times.
• Bake the crust for 15 minutes.
• While the crust is baking make the cheesecake batter.
• Process the cheese in a food processor until smooth (it doesn't have to be completely smooth, a couple of small lumps are fine).
• Separate the eggs into egg yolks and egg whites. Make sure there is no egg yolk in the egg whites or you won't be able to beat them properly.
• Beat the egg yolks with soft butter, 1/2 of the sugar, and orange zest until combined. Use an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
• Add the cheese and vanilla extract, beat until combined.
• In a separate, very large and clean bowl, beat the egg whites (with a clean whisk attachment) until soft peaks form. Slowly add the remaining sugar and beat the egg whites until stiff. Add the vanilla pudding powder and beat until combined.
• Add about 1/4 of the beaten egg whites to the cheese batter, fold in with a spatula until combined.
• Add the cheese batter to the remaining egg whites. Fold in gently with a spatula until combined and there are no white strikes of egg whites.
• Pour the cheese batter onto the warm, baked crust. The batter will reach almost to the rim of the pan but don't worry, it won't overflow.
• Take the second part of the crust out of the freezer and grate it on the large holes of a box grater. Sprinkle the crust onto the cheesecake batter.
• Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. It will be slightly jiggly in the middle but set. The cheesecake will rise and crack in the middle and then it will fall - it's just the nature of this cheesecake.
• Leave the cheesecake on the cooling rack to cool completely, at least 3 hours (do not try to cut warm cheesecake) but preferably overnight (it has a better texture and flavor).
• Enjoy!

SERNIK POLISH CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Dough:.
• Pulse flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a food processor and butter and pulse till crumbly. Add egg and sour cream mix till it comes to a ball.
• With heavy floured hands press into a 13x9x2 pan bring up a touch on the sides of the pan. It will be sticky.
• Filling:.
• Beat egg whites in a mixer till stiff, set aside.
• Beat egg yolks, sugar and vanilla till light and creamy.
• In a food processor place butter, potatoes, cheese, Grand Marnier or limoncello, nutmeg, salt and zest of lemon or orange pulse till all combined.
• Add to yolk mixture folding in to incorporate.
• Fold in beaten egg whites.
• Pour on to crust.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes.
• Turn oven off and let cool with door ajar.
• Cool well before serving.