Sernik Babci Tereski (My Grandma’s Cheesecake)

I had to intercept my grandma while she was making cheesecake (or sernik in Polish) to get the measurements for the ingredients in this cake. She laughed but I finally had a recipe! If you haven’t had it, Polish cheesecake is quite different than the American version. It’s much lighter and more “cake-ie” for lack of a better word. It may be difficult to get but you do really have to use farmer’s cheese in this recipe. Ricotta tastes fine but is too moist and soft. You can get it at any Eastern European market, and grocery stores like Sprouts and Albertson’s often have it (but not always). The Persian markets by us also tend to have it.     

INGREDIENTS makes 1 cheesecake

2 sticks unsalted butter, preferably European style, at room temperature

10 eggs,  yolks and whites separated

1/2 tsp salt

1 kg farmer’s cheese, pressed through a potato ricer

1 cup sugar

2 tsp corn or potato starch

2 Tbs flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 packet vanilla sugar or 1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

juice of half a small lemon (optional)

Nilla Wafers to line the baking pan

Butter or baking pam to line the baking pan

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1 kg farmer’s cheese, pressed through a potato ricer

1. Yes you do have to press the cheese through a ricer, otherwise it will not blend well and the cake will not come out soft and fluffy.

• 2 tsp corn or potato starch
• 2 Tbs flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

2. Mix the starch, flour and baking powder in a small bowl. Set aside.

• 1 cup sugar
• 10 egg yolks
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, preferably European style, at room temperature
• 1 packet vanilla sugar or 1 tsp vanilla extract

3. Blend the egg yolks with the sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is creamy and the sugar dissolved. Add the butter and vanilla and mix until a soft creamy mixture is formed.

• 1 kg farmer’s cheese, pressed through a potato ricer
• flour mixture

4. With the mixer going add the cheese and flour mixture one teaspoon at a time, alternating between the two, until both are incorporated.

• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
• juice of half a small lemon (optional)

5. If you’d like to add raisins, place them in a small bowl and pour about 1 cup of boiling water over them. Let sit for a few min. Rinse the raisins with cold water and sprinkle with a little flour. The ensures that the raisins will not soak up water from the cake batter, and that they will be less likely to sink to the bottom of the cake. Add them to the cheese mixture. Then mix in the juice of half a small lemon. I don’t really like raisins so I tend to leave them out, but the lemon is a fantastic addition and I do not recommend skipping it.

• Butter or baking pam to line the baking pan
• Nilla wafers to line the baking pan

6. Use butter or spray with pam to line the bottom and sides of a 8 x 11 or 9 x 13 baking pan. Then line the bottom with nilla wafers. You can leave them whole or crush them.

• 10 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp salt

7. Blend the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg white foam into the cheese mixture. Don’t blend the foam in completely. Some roughly dime sized foam chunks should remain in the batter. Pour the batter into the pan, being gentle so that the wafers are not moved.

8. Turn on the oven, set to 355 degrees, wait 5 min. You can do this during steps 5 or 6 so that the batter does not have to wait long after being mixed with the egg whites, but do not preheat the oven for longer than 5 min before placing the cake in. After the 5 min, place the cake in the oven and bake for 45 – 60 min, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

9. Remove the cake from the oven gently. Slide a knife gently around the edges of the cake to make sure it is not stuck to the edges of the pan. The cake will sink a little as it cools, and this will ensure that it will sink evenly. Let cool completely before cutting and serving.