Sernik, polish cake

 

This cake is traditionally eaten in Poland during the Christmas and Easter festivities. Although the ingredients are very similar to those used in the cheesecakes we know, the way to do it is somewhat more complicated, the result being lighter, halfway between the cream cake and the meringue. It's worth to cook it, it's incredibly good and amazing. It also uses very little sugar if we compare it with other similar recipes.

INGREDIENTS :

• 1 kg (2.2 pounds) of cottage cheese
• 6 eggs + 1 yolk
• 100 grams (3.5 oz)  of icing sugar
• 200 ml (one cup) of whipping cream, 35 or 38% fat
• 2 tablespoons potato flour *
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

* In the gastronomy of central, northern and eastern Europe it is quite common to use potato flour. Where it is not common,  you can use potato starch (which we do use to thicken), cornstarch or even freeze-dried mashed potatoes.

First of all we must remove the lumps from the cottage cheese. To do this, we can use the blender glass or the blender to obtain a smooth paste, almost a cream.

It is convenient then to preheat the oven to 170 degrees (338 F)because it must be at the temperature when we finish creating the cake. If we put the mixture in when it has not yet reached the temperature then we could have a problem.

We separate the yolks from the whites of the 6 eggs. We pour the yolks into a bowl and beat them with the icing sugar with the help of the rods, until it is well homogeneous.

In another bowl we whisk the cream with the rods until it becomes whipped cream. Half-whipping we add the potato flour (or the starch, or the cornstarch ...) and the vanilla essence. We continue beating until it is very firm.

When whipping cream is firm, we add it to the mixture of yolks with icing sugar. To avoid air loss, we mix it with a large shovel or a wooden ladle until everything is well integrated.

Next we add the cheese that we have beaten. Again, that everything is well mixed and avoiding the loss of the "gained" air.

It is time to mix the whites that we had separated at the beginning. We pour them into a bowl adding a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon juice. We beat well until they get solid like foam (what is called meringue).

We add the meringue obtained from the beaten egg whites, slowly and carefully so as not to lose the air, until we obtain a well aerated dough. We already have the full dough.

In a metal or silicone mold, well buttered, about 22/25 cm in diameter (a bit less than 10 inches), pour the dough. On top of it we pour a beaten yolk with the two tablespoons of milk so that the result is well browned.

We put them in the oven and let them cook for an hour. If we see that the surface begins to brown excessively, then we should not remove the cake, if not cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil.

And pay attention to the following: after the baking time, we turn off the oven but do not remove the cake from it. With the oven door closed we let another 10 minutes pass, after which we open the door but again without removing the cake, until it is completely cold. It's not a matter of a whim. In this way, the meringue is left with the perfect texture.

It can be eaten once it has cooled, but the usual thing is to let it rest a whole night in the refrigerator so that it is even more settled and firm.

As you can see a bit complicated, but the result is worth it.