Polish Bakery Cheesecake

[drjhoffmanmd]

Does anyone have the recipe for a sponge-like 6 inch high cheesecake with no topping other than the crusted top that was sold in Polish Bakeries in Chicago in the 1950's. I am looking for a recipe. I believe it will be with cottage cheese. It is fluffy - that is why I call it sponge like. It is a great memory of my childhood. The base was either pie pastry or graham craker crust.

[duonyte]

Possibly something like this, Polish Cheesecake ?

[drjhoffmanmd]

This is not quite what I am looking for, but thank you. The cheesecake I remember was a rectangle that had been cut from a larger cake. The rectangle was about 10 x 4 x 5 inches high with a self crust.

[duonyte]

I was hoping to find something close to how you described the filling - the topping can be omitted, I think. And bakeries would often bake in larger quantities than would be desired by more home bakers.

Anyway, check out this blog, the picture (aside from shape) looks like what you describe. I'm not sure about the candied orange part, but again, I'd focus on the filling - http://tastycolours.blogspot.com/2010/04/my-plan-for-cheesecake.html

[darcyso]

i, too have been looking for this recipe. we used to get it at a bakery in michigan city ind and chesterton ind approx 40 yrs ago. it was just as you described baked in a very large pan, 6 inches tall with a simple rather sweet crust, very light and cut in ractangles sold in a tall white box for $3. it was not heavy and the crust was brown with no topping. i re asking the lady at the bakery abt it and she told me they used a different type of cheese, not cream cheese. i so wish i could find this recipe, it was simple and delicious.

[duonyte]

I am sure they use farmers cheese or tvarog - I find it in many of the markets,

I'll see if any other recipes pop up and will report back.

[Dee514]

What you described sounds like sernik. Here is my Polish m-i-l's recipe for sernik. Her cheesecake was not 4 or 5 inches tall, but if you use a deeper and smaller sized pan, it would probably end up about 4 inches tall.

Filling:
2 lbs twaróg cheese (or dry curd or farmer's cheese)
4 large eggs, separated
2 cups granulated white sugar
5 ounces softened, sweet butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Crust:
2 large egg yolks
3 Tablespoons sour cream
5 ounces cold sweet butter
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
2 cups regular flour (all-purpose)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Make the crust first; sugar, bp, flour in large bowl. Small bowl, mix egg yolks and sour cream. Cut cold butter into flour (like pie crust). Add sour cream/egg mixture to flour, mix until combined. If dough is too stiff, add a bit more sour cream OR a whole egg (not both). Let dough rest covered for about 10 minutes. Roll dough out to about 12 x 16, so it fits the bottom and sides of a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Flute the edge or just roll the edge under.

Preheat the oven to 350F, and make the filling.
With a wooden spoon, press/force the cheese through a fine sieve into a small bowl and set aside.
In a small bowl, whip egg whites until stiff peaks.
Cream the sugar and butter in a large bowl until light and very fluffy (sugar should be dissolved).
Add vanilla to egg yolks, and beat in to the sugar mixture until well blended.
Add cheese and beat until well blended.
Fold egg whites into cheese mixture and then pour filling into pan.
Bake for about 50-60 minutes (filling shouldn't brown).
Remove from oven and cool completely before slicing.