Cheesecake with Quark Cheese (West Ukrainian Syrnyk)

This cake is similar to the cheesecakes so popular in the western part of the globe. However this one is made from quark cheese (fresh farmers cheese), not from cream cheese. It is very popular dessert treat in West Ukraine often being made with raisins.

1½ lb of fresh farmers cheese (quark)
4 eggs
3½ oz butter, melted
¾ cup sugar
2 Tbsp. semolina flour
1 lemon, freshly juiced
½ tsp. vanilla sugar

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5). Grease and dust a springform pan.

Separate egg whites from egg yolks, put whites into the mixer bowl.

And yolks into the separate bowl. Add half of the sugar to the bowl with yolks and mix it with yolks using spoon.

Start beating egg whites with white attachment, once doubled in volume add rest of the sugar, portion by portion, then continue to beat until foam is thick and stable.

While whites are beating blend farmers cheese until homogeneous (I use deep bowl and hand blender, but you can use food processor for this and several next steps). Add egg yolks and sugar mix. Add melted butter. Mix well. Add lemon juice, vanilla sugar and 2 Tbsp. flour. Mix well.

Carefully mix beaten whites into the cheese batter with vertical slicing movements, portion by portion. Work through the rest of the beaten whites and you will get tender fluffy cheese batter.

Carefully move batter to the baking pan and even it up with a spatula.

Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then turn temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 45 minutes more.

Then turn the heat off and let cake cool down till room temperature inside the oven, don’t open the oven; once cooled, remove cake from the baking pan and put in the fridge (overnight is best).

Serve for breakfast or dessert with coffee and tea.