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Cottage Cheese Easter in the Oven
Instructions
I prepare the ingredients. The orange can be replaced with a lemon, and the starch with semolina. It is best to use cottage cheese sold in packs, as it is paste-like and will not need to be ground through a sieve; if the mass is lumpy, it has to be ground first. I switch the oven on to preheat straight away, setting it to 160 degrees, and place a tray of water on the lower rack.
I grate the orange part of the orange with a fine grater.
Into a roomy bowl with the cottage cheese I add the sour cream, sugar, and vanillin.
Into the same bowl I pour the melted butter.
With a mixer I turn this mixture into a single smooth mass.
I add the starch.
I beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
After the final beating with the mixer, you should get a uniform, silky paste.
I transfer a portion of this paste (about 150 grams) into a separate small bowl.
I add the poppy seeds to it.
I mix it.
I rinse the raisins, scald them with boiling water, and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Into the larger portion of cottage cheese paste I add the orange zest.
Then the candied fruits and raisins.
I mix everything together.
I prepare a form, which needs to be lined with parchment and, if necessary, reinforced on the outside with foil. If I am not confident in the quality of the baking paper, I grease it with butter so the Easter cake does not stick during baking.
First I pour the poppy seed mass into the form.
Then the one with the dried fruits. I place the form in the oven on the middle rack.
I bake the cottage cheese Easter in the oven for 50 minutes, then I turn on the convection mode to brown the top and bake for another 7 minutes. If the oven does not have this function, I raise the temperature to 180 degrees and leave the Easter cake there for another 10 minutes.
The cottage cheese Easter in the oven is ready. I take the form out of the oven and let it cool completely.
Then I cover it with a towel and put it in the fridge for a couple of hours to let the structure stabilise.
After that time I take the Easter cake out of the form. I brush the top with condensed milk or melted chocolate and sprinkle it with coconut flakes.In taste, the cottage cheese Easter in the oven resembles a delicate cheesecake with plenty of dried fruit. The texture has firmed up well but stayed tender and holds its shape well when sliced. This version of Easter cake will certainly grace the bright Easter celebration.
Tips
- 1
WATER IN THE OVEN is the "secret" to tenderness. A tray of water creates steam, so the Easter cake does not dry out and stays silky, like a cheesecake.
- 2
TWO LAYERS – POPPY SEED AND RAISIN is the "secret" to the effect. The poppy seed base plus the coloured layer with candied fruits create a beautiful cross-section, like in shop-bought baking.
- 3
3 HOURS IN THE COLD is the "secret" to the shape. Without resting, the Easter cake will "fall apart" when sliced. Complete chilling stabilises the structure.
- 4
PASTE-LIKE COTTAGE CHEESE is the "secret" to smoothness. Granular cottage cheese needs to be rubbed through a sieve, while the paste-like kind from a pack works straight away. The same principle applies to other kinds of cottage cheese Easter cakes.
Video
FAQ
Which cottage cheese should I choose? +
Ideal is fresh paste-like cottage cheese at 9% fat in a pack (540 g – convenient, no need to sieve). Alternatives: homemade cottage cheese at 9-15% (540 g – "premium"), soft cottage cheese in a brick (540 g), a 50/50 mix of 9% and 18% cottage cheese (270 g each – "premium balance"), mascarpone plus cottage cheese 50/50 (270 g each – "premium creamy"), thick Greek yoghurt plus cottage cheese 50/50 (270 g each – "diet"). Fresh cottage cheese with a short shelf life is the "premium" choice. Do not use: low-fat (the paste turns out dry), expired, or with fruit additives. For a "classic" result, use at least 9% fat.
What can I use instead of poppy seeds? +
Alternatives: cocoa powder (30 g – "chocolate" version), black sesame (30 g – "premium Asian"), chopped prunes (50 g – fruity accent), ground coffee (15 g – "with an espresso note"), chopped nuts (30 g – "premium"), grated dark chocolate (30 g – "premium"), ground cinnamon plus nuts (1 tsp plus 30 g – warm notes). Fresh poppy seeds in a sealed pack are the "premium" choice. Do not use: salted seeds (they will spoil the taste) or sweet poppy seed filling with sugar in the finished mass. For a "classic" result, use dry poppy seeds or an alternative to taste.
How long does baked Easter cake keep? +
In the fridge in a tightly closed container – 4-5 days. Longer than that and the Easter cake loses its tenderness and the candied fruits dry out. Before serving, let it stand for 15-20 minutes at room temperature so it becomes soft. In the freezer – up to 1 month; defrost in the fridge for 8-10 hours. Fresh Easter cake is at its "star" best 3-4 hours after baking (once it has stabilised in the cold). On the second day the flavour is deeper and brighter. Do not leave it at room temperature for longer than 4 hours, as the egg base spoils.
What do you serve baked Easter cake with? +
The classic for Easter: with an Easter kulich and dyed eggs. With a cup of black tea with lemon. With a glass of Cahors (church wine). With a glass of freshly squeezed grape juice. With a cup of coffee with milk. With fresh berries on top (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries). With hot cocoa and marshmallows for children. With berry jam. With a glass of sweet Baileys liqueur. With a cup of herbal tea with mint. With a white dessert wine. For the Easter table it is a versatile serving. It is the main cottage cheese dessert for Bright Easter in a modern "cheesecake style".
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