Cheese Pastry without Dough – Simple Recipe for Small Trays
I have often tried various cheese pastry recipes and was never satisfied with either the crust or the filling. Sometimes it would rise too much, or the cheese would remain raw in the middle. This year, I set aside the complicated versions and made a simple cheese pastry, using only cheese filling. I divided it into several small trays to ensure even baking and prevent overflow. If you have the ingredients on hand and a bit of patience, this is a recipe that won't complicate you too much.
Quick Info
Total Time: approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes
Preparation Time: 15-20 minutes
Baking Time: 70 minutes (40 minutes + 30 minutes covered)
Servings: 3 small round trays and 1 square tray of 15x15 cm
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe Type: traditional Easter dessert, without dough
Ingredients
700 g sweet cottage cheese, well-drained (ideally through cheesecloth)
400 g sour cream
5 eggs
1 package of butter
200 g powdered sugar
250 g raisins
3 packets of vanilla sugar
4 tablespoons semolina
2 tablespoons flour
1 packet of vanilla pudding (powder)
1 vial of vanilla essence
zest of 2 lemons
zest of 1 orange
1 small bottle of rum (for the raisins)
Preparation Method
1. Soak the raisins in warm water with a small bottle of rum and 1 tablespoon of sugar. The water should just cover the raisins. Let them sit while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. Separate the eggs. Place the egg whites in the fridge until needed.
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, sour cream, and soft butter until the mixture is homogeneous and frothy.
4. Gradually incorporate the well-drained cottage cheese. You can use a mixer or a spatula.
5. Add the pudding powder, lemon and orange zest, well-drained raisins, semolina, and flour. Mix everything on low speed just until evenly combined.
6. Take the egg whites out of the fridge and beat them until stiff with a pinch of salt.
7. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the cheese mixture in 2-3 batches, using wide movements to avoid deflating.
8. Finally, add the vanilla essence and mix gently.
9. Pour the batter into disposable small trays (three round and one square of 15x15 cm), filling them three-quarters full. Do not grease the trays.
10. Place the trays in the preheated oven at low heat. Bake for 40 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
11. Remove each tray, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for another 30 minutes, still at low heat.
12. After baking, let them cool in the trays. They can be easily portioned when cold.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
I love that it’s easy to adapt for multiple small trays, so I don’t worry about it being undercooked or overflowing. It doesn’t require a separate dough, the preparation time is short, and the ingredients are easy to find. The pastry comes out creamy and keeps well for two to three days.
Tips and Variations
Tips
The cheese must be very well-drained. If you use too wet cheese, the pastry will turn out soft and may not set properly.
It’s better to beat the egg whites cold; they whip up better.
Do not open the oven in the first 30 minutes to prevent the mixture from collapsing.
Let the pastry cool completely before removing it from the tray.
Substitutions
You can use granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar, but make sure to mix it well with the egg yolks until it dissolves.
Sour cream can be replaced with full-fat yogurt, but the texture will be less creamy.
If you don’t have an orange or lemon, you can use just one of them or omit them, but the citrus aroma makes a difference in taste.
Variations
If you don’t want raisins, you can leave them out entirely.
The rum essence can be omitted if you don’t want an additional flavor.
You can put the mixture in a single large tray, but this will increase the baking time and there’s a risk it won’t bake evenly in the middle.
Serving Ideas
Cut into slices when completely cooled, directly from the tray.
It pairs well plain or with fresh fruits (strawberries, raspberries).
It can be served with a vanilla sauce or whipped cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dry should the cottage cheese be?
The cheese should be drained as much as possible, ideally through cheesecloth, to prevent the mixture from being too liquid. If it’s too watery, the pastry may remain raw or soft in the middle.
Can I use a single larger tray?
Yes, but the baking time will need to be increased, and there’s a risk that it won’t be perfectly baked in the middle. I recommend using small trays for safety.
What do I do if I don’t have vanilla pudding powder?
Pudding powders help stabilize the mixture. If you don’t have it, you can use 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch, but the vanilla flavor will be less pronounced.
Can I replace sour cream with something else?
You can try full-fat yogurt, but the final texture will be less dense and creamy.
Do I need to grease the trays with butter or oil?
There’s no need to grease disposable aluminum trays.
Nutritional Values
Approximately, one serving (from a small tray, 8 slices/tray) has about 250-300 calories. Approximate macronutrients for one slice: 8-10 g protein, 12-14 g fat, 28-32 g carbohydrates. Values depend significantly on how fatty the cheese and sour cream used are.
Storage and Reheating
The pastry can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. I do not recommend reheating; it’s best served cold or at room temperature. If you want to serve it warm, you can gently warm it in the oven, but not for too long, so it doesn’t dry out.
I have often tried various cheese pastry recipes and was never satisfied with either the crust or the filling. Sometimes it would rise too much, or the cheese would remain raw in the middle. This year, I set aside the complicated versions and made a simple cheese pastry, using only cheese filling. I divided it into several small trays to ensure even baking and prevent overflow. If you have the ingredients on hand and a bit of patience, this is a recipe that won't complicate you too much.
Quick Info
Total Time: approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes
Preparation Time: 15-20 minutes
Baking Time: 70 minutes (40 minutes + 30 minutes covered)
Servings: 3 small round trays and 1 square tray of 15x15 cm
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe Type: traditional Easter dessert, without dough
Ingredients
700 g sweet cottage cheese, well-drained (ideally through cheesecloth)
400 g sour cream
5 eggs
1 package of butter
200 g powdered sugar
250 g raisins
3 packets of vanilla sugar
4 tablespoons semolina
2 tablespoons flour
1 packet of vanilla pudding (powder)
1 vial of vanilla essence
zest of 2 lemons
zest of 1 orange
1 small bottle of rum (for the raisins)
Preparation Method
1. Soak the raisins in warm water with a small bottle of rum and 1 tablespoon of sugar. The water should just cover the raisins. Let them sit while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. Separate the eggs. Place the egg whites in the fridge until needed.
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, sour cream, and soft butter until the mixture is homogeneous and frothy.
4. Gradually incorporate the well-drained cottage cheese. You can use a mixer or a spatula.
5. Add the pudding powder, lemon and orange zest, well-drained raisins, semolina, and flour. Mix everything on low speed just until evenly combined.
6. Take the egg whites out of the fridge and beat them until stiff with a pinch of salt.
7. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the cheese mixture in 2-3 batches, using wide movements to avoid deflating.
8. Finally, add the vanilla essence and mix gently.
9. Pour the batter into disposable small trays (three round and one square of 15x15 cm), filling them three-quarters full. Do not grease the trays.
10. Place the trays in the preheated oven at low heat. Bake for 40 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
11. Remove each tray, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for another 30 minutes, still at low heat.
12. After baking, let them cool in the trays. They can be easily portioned when cold.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
I love that it’s easy to adapt for multiple small trays, so I don’t worry about it being undercooked or overflowing. It doesn’t require a separate dough, the preparation time is short, and the ingredients are easy to find. The pastry comes out creamy and keeps well for two to three days.
Tips and Variations
Tips
The cheese must be very well-drained. If you use too wet cheese, the pastry will turn out soft and may not set properly.
It’s better to beat the egg whites cold; they whip up better.
Do not open the oven in the first 30 minutes to prevent the mixture from collapsing.
Let the pastry cool completely before removing it from the tray.
Substitutions
You can use granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar, but make sure to mix it well with the egg yolks until it dissolves.
Sour cream can be replaced with full-fat yogurt, but the texture will be less creamy.
If you don’t have an orange or lemon, you can use just one of them or omit them, but the citrus aroma makes a difference in taste.
Variations
If you don’t want raisins, you can leave them out entirely.
The rum essence can be omitted if you don’t want an additional flavor.
You can put the mixture in a single large tray, but this will increase the baking time and there’s a risk it won’t bake evenly in the middle.
Serving Ideas
Cut into slices when completely cooled, directly from the tray.
It pairs well plain or with fresh fruits (strawberries, raspberries).
It can be served with a vanilla sauce or whipped cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dry should the cottage cheese be?
The cheese should be drained as much as possible, ideally through cheesecloth, to prevent the mixture from being too liquid. If it’s too watery, the pastry may remain raw or soft in the middle.
Can I use a single larger tray?
Yes, but the baking time will need to be increased, and there’s a risk that it won’t be perfectly baked in the middle. I recommend using small trays for safety.
What do I do if I don’t have vanilla pudding powder?
Pudding powders help stabilize the mixture. If you don’t have it, you can use 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch, but the vanilla flavor will be less pronounced.
Can I replace sour cream with something else?
You can try full-fat yogurt, but the final texture will be less dense and creamy.
Do I need to grease the trays with butter or oil?
There’s no need to grease disposable aluminum trays.
Nutritional Values
Approximately, one serving (from a small tray, 8 slices/tray) has about 250-300 calories. Approximate macronutrients for one slice: 8-10 g protein, 12-14 g fat, 28-32 g carbohydrates. Values depend significantly on how fatty the cheese and sour cream used are.
Storage and Reheating
The pastry can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. I do not recommend reheating; it’s best served cold or at room temperature. If you want to serve it warm, you can gently warm it in the oven, but not for too long, so it doesn’t dry out.