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Cottage Cheese and Semolina Cheesecake in the Oven
Instructions
Tip the cottage cheese into a large, deep bowl, crack in the 2 eggs, then add the sugar, sour cream and semolina. Quench the baking soda with vinegar (simply drip a few drops of vinegar onto the soda in a spoon – it will fizz) and add it to the rest of the ingredients.
Mix everything thoroughly with a spoon until you have a smooth, uniform mass with no lumps of cottage cheese. For a better result you can use a mixer or blender – the mixture will become perfectly smooth. Note: as you mix, the batter will go from thick to runny, with a consistency roughly like 15% sour cream – this is normal, the semolina will swell later.
Turn the oven on to medium heat (about 180°C) to preheat. Set the rack on the upper level. Carefully line a 30 cm round baking pan on the inside with aluminium foil – this way the cheesecake is easy to lift out after baking and will not stick to the pan.
Pour the cottage cheese batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly with a spoon or spatula so that the thickness is the same across the whole surface. Place the pan in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
While the cheesecake bakes, make the topping. Put the rolled oats, flour, cold butter (cut into cubes) and sugar into a separate bowl. Mix with a spoon or your hands, crushing the lumps of butter well and coating them in the dry ingredients – you should get a coarse crumble. The finer you crush the butter, the more even the topping will be.
After 20 minutes, take the pan with the cheesecake out of the oven and set it on a flat surface. The cheesecake should have set slightly but still be soft inside.
Sprinkle the oat crumble evenly over the surface of the cheesecake, spreading it across the whole area with a spoon. Return the pan to the oven for another 10 minutes – in that time the topping will brown and turn crisp, and the cheesecake will bake through completely.
Take the finished cheesecake out of the oven and leave it to cool right in the pan on the worktop for about 30 minutes. It is important not to remove it straight away – a hot cheesecake may fall apart. Once cooled, carefully lift it out by the edges of the foil, transfer it to a plate, cut it into portions and serve.
Tips
- 1
For a perfectly smooth texture, always blend the cottage cheese with a blender or rub it through a sieve before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients. Lumps of cottage cheese will spoil the cheesecake's tender texture.
- 2
After mixing the batter, let it stand for 20–30 minutes before baking – in that time the semolina swells and absorbs the moisture, so the cheesecake comes out denser and won't sink after cooling.
- 3
The finished cheesecake keeps well in the fridge for 3–4 days in a closed container without losing flavour or freshness. What's more, it tastes even better the next day – the semolina swells fully and the texture firms up.
- 4
Serve the cheesecake with berry jam, fresh berries, condensed milk or chocolate sauce. You can also dust it with icing sugar or cocoa to make it pretty. It goes perfectly with a cappuccino or coffee with milk.
FAQ
Can I replace the semolina with flour? +
You can, but the texture of the cheesecake will be different. Semolina gives a more tender, moist, curd-like consistency, close to a classic cheesecake. If you use flour (6–7 tbsp instead of 8 tbsp of semolina), you'll get a denser bake. I recommend semolina.
Which cottage cheese is better – full-fat or low-fat? +
I use medium-fat cottage cheese (5–9%) – it gives the best balance between flavour and calories. Low-fat cottage cheese makes the cheesecake more diet-friendly but less tender. Full-fat cottage cheese (18%) gives a richer flavour and creamier texture, but the calorie count goes up.
Do I have to make the oat crumble topping? +
No, the topping is optional – it's simply a pretty, tasty decoration that adds a crisp crust. You can do without it and just bake the cheesecake for 30 minutes until done, or replace the topping with grated chocolate, nuts or desiccated coconut.
Why did my cheesecake sink after cooling? +
The most common reason is that the semolina hasn't swelled enough. The batter must be left to rest for 20–30 minutes before baking so the semolina absorbs the moisture. Another cause can be too high an oven temperature – bake at 180°C, no hotter.
How long can the finished cheesecake be stored? +
I keep the finished cheesecake in the fridge in a closed container or under cling film for up to 3–4 days. The cottage cheese base holds its freshness well. What's more, on the second day the cheesecake tastes even better – it settles fully and firms up.
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