CHEESECAKE
(SERNIK)


  • 2lbs of farmer’s cheese (3 times ground)
  • ¾ tspn of salt
  • 2oz of white flour
  • 4oz of sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cup of cream
  • 1 lemon for lemon zest
  • 1 Vanilla bean

  • For the garnish
    • Powdered sugar
    • Mixture of forest fruit: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, red currant

Nothing warms the home like the aroma of a homemade cheesecake baking in the oven. It’s a popular dessert, traditionally baked in many Polish households and the Warmian-Masurian region is no exception. This is a quick and simple recipe that makes for a smooth, velvety cheesecake.


To make the cheesecake…
  • First, prep your baking pan by lining it with parchment paper and smearing thoroughly with butter. Cut the parchment paper to fully cover the circumference of the pan and make sure it stands about 5-inches high above the top edge of the pan. The cake will rise while baking so this tall piece of parchment paper will keep it from spilling over.
  • Start prepping the cake by placing the farmers cheese into a large mixing bowl.
  • Pour the cup of cream over the cheese in the bowl and stir together thoroughly.
  • Next, start adding in the eggs, one at a time, all the while stirring the contents of the bowl.
  • Toss in the sugar and the flour and stir into the batter.
  • Sift in the ¾ teaspoon (just a pinch) of salt and stir.
  • Zest a bit of lemon into the batter.
  • Remove the seeds from the vanilla bean, toss in with the other ingredients and stir.
  • The batter is ready! Pour it over into the baking pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.
  • Set the cake in the oven, set to 390º Fahrenheit and bake for an hour. Once done, turn off the oven, open the oven door and allow the cheesecake to cool.

Garnish, serve and enjoy…
  • Once the cheesecake has cooled arrange the forest fruit on top (in any way or pattern you prefer).
  • Sift a generous amount of powdered sugar over the top.
  • Optional: Sprinkle with some bits of lilac flower.
  • Cut a slice (or two) and enjoy!

Smacznego!