PINEAPPLE KASEKUCHEN (GERMAN CHEESECAKE) RECIPE - (4.5/5)

Pineapple Kasekuchen (German Cheesecake) Recipe - (4.5/5) image

Provided by Aemelia

Number Of Ingredients 18

SWEETENED CRUST (muerbeteig):
2/3 cup cold butter
2/3 cup sifted confectioners sugar
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 small egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon milk
FILLING:
1 can crushed pineapple in its own juice, very well drained
3 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup well-softened butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 cups quark ( a soft, unaged fresh cheese, see story above for sources)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sifted flour

Steps:

Combine dry ingredients and sift. Cut butter in until it looks like fine meal. Add beaten egg and milk to form a medium-soft dough. Turn out onto lightly-floured board and gather together into a ball. Flatten; wrap with plastic and chill. Roll out and fit into a greased, 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate. Drain pineapple very well and chill. Beat egg yolks with sugar and vanilla until pale yellow and creamy. Add softened butter, whisking well; add heavy cream and whisk again. Add quark and stir until smooth. Whisk egg whites with pinch of salt until peaks form. In and over/under motion with a spatula, carefully fold egg whites in to the batter, alternating with the addition of the sifted flour a little at a time. Spread chilled pineapple into bottom of crust; pour filling over, tapping sides of pan to make sure filling is smooth and even. Dough should be even at top, trimmed to about 1/2 inch above the level of the cheese filling. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. F. Place cake on center rack and bake 1 1/2 hours until golden brown on top and set. Turn off oven, leaving cake inside for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven; place on rack to cool to room temperature. Remove from springform pan to a platter. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours, covered, before serving very cold.