The dough is the perfect base for a delicious Easter cake, and preparing it requires attention and patience. Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature, as this will help achieve a uniform texture. Start by combining lard, butter, and sugar in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed. Continue mixing until you obtain a fluffy and homogeneous cream with a light shade. This step is essential to incorporate air, so the cake will be light and fluffy.
Once the cream is ready, add the eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition. Then, add the baking powder, grated lemon zest, and yogurt, continuing to mix until all the ingredients are well integrated. Now, it's time to gradually incorporate the flour, mixing with a spatula or with your hands until you obtain a homogeneous and non-sticky dough. Once the dough is ready, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it to firm up a bit.
For the filling, take the cheese and crumble it in a large bowl, using your fingers to avoid forming lumps. In another bowl, mix the eggs with the sugar until they become frothy, but don’t overmix to avoid incorporating too much air. Add the egg mixture over the crumbled cheese, then add the flour, grated lemon zest, and vanilla essence. Mix everything well by hand until you have a homogeneous composition.
After the dough has chilled, take half of it and, on a piece of parchment paper, roll out a sheet of suitable thickness. Preheat the oven to a medium temperature. Grease a round baking pan with butter, then lift the sheet of dough along with the parchment paper and place it in the pan, making sure to line the edges well. Cut off the excess dough with a knife, and with a fork, poke the dough here and there to prevent it from puffing up during baking.
On top of the dough base, place half of the filling, and from the remaining dough, form two thin rolls which you place over the filling in a cross shape. Beat an egg until frothy and, with a brush, glaze the cake to achieve a golden and appetizing crust. Proceed similarly with the other cake if you are preparing more.
Once the cake is ready, place it in the preheated oven and bake for about an hour. When it is golden brown and has risen nicely, take it out of the oven and let it cool in the pan. After it has cooled, it is ready to be served. Enjoy your meal!
Once the cream is ready, add the eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition. Then, add the baking powder, grated lemon zest, and yogurt, continuing to mix until all the ingredients are well integrated. Now, it's time to gradually incorporate the flour, mixing with a spatula or with your hands until you obtain a homogeneous and non-sticky dough. Once the dough is ready, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it to firm up a bit.
For the filling, take the cheese and crumble it in a large bowl, using your fingers to avoid forming lumps. In another bowl, mix the eggs with the sugar until they become frothy, but don’t overmix to avoid incorporating too much air. Add the egg mixture over the crumbled cheese, then add the flour, grated lemon zest, and vanilla essence. Mix everything well by hand until you have a homogeneous composition.
After the dough has chilled, take half of it and, on a piece of parchment paper, roll out a sheet of suitable thickness. Preheat the oven to a medium temperature. Grease a round baking pan with butter, then lift the sheet of dough along with the parchment paper and place it in the pan, making sure to line the edges well. Cut off the excess dough with a knife, and with a fork, poke the dough here and there to prevent it from puffing up during baking.
On top of the dough base, place half of the filling, and from the remaining dough, form two thin rolls which you place over the filling in a cross shape. Beat an egg until frothy and, with a brush, glaze the cake to achieve a golden and appetizing crust. Proceed similarly with the other cake if you are preparing more.
Once the cake is ready, place it in the preheated oven and bake for about an hour. When it is golden brown and has risen nicely, take it out of the oven and let it cool in the pan. After it has cooled, it is ready to be served. Enjoy your meal!
Ingredients
For the dough: 2 eggs 50 g butter 100 g lard 4 tablespoons yogurt 7 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder grated lemon zest 600 g flour Filling: 1.6 kg cottage cheese 300 g sugar 8 eggs 2 tablespoons flour grated zest of a lemon vanilla essence 1 egg for the grease