Cheese Cake

Name: Cheese Cake - Ligia D.
Ingredients: Dough: 3 eggs; 1 cup of sugar (200 g); 200 g soft margarine; zest from half a lemon; 1 packet of baking powder; flour as needed (approximately 6 cups). Filling: 500 g telemea cheese; 500 g sweet cottage cheese; 3 eggs; grated zest from half a lemon; 1 cup of sugar (200 g); a handful of raisins.

Dessert - Cheese Cake by Ligia D. - Recipia

Tender, sweet, and aromatic, this cheesecake is made from a simple dough with margarine and a rich filling of telemea cheese, sweet cheese, eggs, raisins, and lemon zest. The dough is easy to work with if it is chilled while the filling is prepared. After baking, the cake is dusted with powdered sugar and allowed to cool before slicing. The next day, the dough becomes even more tender, and the flavors meld better. Quick Info Total time: not specified in the original recipe Preparation time: not specified; the dough should be kept in the fridge while the filling is made Baking time: until the cake is beautifully golden Servings: the number is not specified and depends on the size of the pieces Difficulty: easy to medium Recipe type: homemade cheesecake, suitable for dessert or for keeping from one day to the next Ingredients For the dough 3 eggs 1 cup of sugar, approximately 200 g 200 g soft margarine Zest of half a lemon 1 packet of baking powder Flour as needed, approximately 6 cups For the filling 500 g telemea cheese 500 g sweet cow cheese 3 eggs Zest of half a lemon 1 cup of sugar, approximately 200 g 1 handful of raisins For finishing Powdered sugar, for dusting after baking Instructions 1. Prepare the dough In a bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, soft margarine, lemon zest, and baking powder. Gradually add the flour and knead until you obtain a soft dough, but not too firm. The dough should be non-sticky and manageable without sticking to your hands. The amount of flour is approximate, as it depends on the size of the eggs and how soft the margarine is. Stop when the dough has the right consistency: it should come together without sticking to your hands. 2. Chill the dough Cover the dough and place it in the refrigerator. It only needs to chill while you prepare the filling. Cooling makes it easier to roll out and helps the layers maintain their shape when placed in the pan. 3. Prepare the cheese filling Grate the telemea cheese using a large grater or crumble it with a fork. Place it in a bowl and mix it with the sweet cow cheese. Add the 3 eggs, lemon zest, sugar, and raisins. Mix until the composition is homogeneous. There’s no need to turn the filling into a very fine paste; it’s enough for the ingredients to be well distributed, and the cheese should not remain in large chunks. 4. Divide the dough Remove the dough from the fridge and divide it into two equal parts. The two pieces will form the bottom layer and the top layer. Sprinkle flour on the working surface. Roll out the first piece into a sheet slightly larger than the pan so that it can easily rise over the edges. 5. Place the first sheet in the pan Line the pan with parchment paper and place the sheet of dough over it. Leave the edges of the sheet slightly raised, like a border. This edge helps keep the filling inside and allows the two sheets to stick together. Prick the sheet in several places with a fork. There’s no need to make too many holes; a few evenly distributed pricks across the surface are sufficient. 6. Add the filling Pour the cheese mixture over the first sheet and level it as evenly as possible. The filling should reach close to the edges but remain within the dough border. 7. Cover with the second sheet Roll out the second piece of dough. Carefully place it over the cheese filling. If the sheet is slightly larger than the pan, that’s fine; the important thing is that it covers the surface well. Seal the edges of the second sheet to the first sheet all around. Gently press down on the edges so that the filling is enclosed between the two layers of dough. Prick the top sheet with a fork in several places as well. These pricks allow air to escape during baking and help keep the surface flat. 8. Bake the cake Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake the cake until the top layer is beautifully golden. The original recipe does not specify the oven temperature or an exact baking time, so watch the color of the dough. When the surface is golden, remove the pan from the oven. Let the cake cool before slicing, as the cheese filling is easier to cut once it has set. 9. Dust and slice Sprinkle powdered sugar over the cooled cake. Cut it into pieces and serve it plain. Why I make this recipe often I love it because it has a tender yet uncomplicated dough, and the filling is substantial enough that the cake can be cut into nice pieces after cooling. The combination of telemea and sweet cheese gives it a balanced flavor without being overly sweet. It’s also a practical cake because it can be prepared a day in advance. The dough becomes even more tender after resting, and the next day the cake is more delicate, with the flavors more pronounced. Tips and Variations Tips The margarine should be soft, not necessarily melted. If it’s melted, the dough may become harder to manage and will require more careful chilling. Add the flour gradually. The mention of "flour as needed" is important here, as approximately 6 cups is a guideline, not an absolute amount. Stop when the dough no longer sticks to your hands, without overloading it with flour. Do not skip the refrigeration step. Chilled dough is easier to roll out and fits better in the pan. The first sheet should extend slightly over the edges. If it is cut exactly to the size of the pan, it may be harder to seal the filling between the two sheets. Allow the cake to cool before cutting. If cut while still hot, the filling may shift, and the pieces won’t have clear edges. Substitutions The original recipe does not indicate substitutions for ingredients. For the described result, the combination of telemea cheese and sweet cow cheese, along with margarine in the dough, is important. Telemea can be grated or crumbled with a fork, and this is the only difference in preparation specified in the recipe. Grated cheese distributes more evenly, while crumbled cheese may leave slightly more visible pieces in the filling. Variations You can choose to prepare the filling with either grated telemea or crumbled telemea. The final texture will be slightly different, but the steps and quantities remain the same. Additionally, the thickness of the sheets can vary depending on how much you roll out the dough. It’s important that both sheets cover the filling and can be sealed at the edges. Serving Ideas The cake is served after it has cooled and been dusted with powdered sugar. It can be cut into squares or rectangles, depending on the shape and size of the pan used. It can be served plain, without any additional toppings. The flavors of cheese, lemon, and raisins are already present in the filling, and the powdered sugar is sufficient for finishing. Frequently Asked Questions Why is the dough kept in the fridge? The dough is easier to roll out after it cools, especially since it contains margarine. The refrigerator helps it become firmer and allows it to be placed in the pan without breaking as easily. Can I use only sweet cheese for the filling? The recipe is built on the combination of 500 g of telemea and 500 g of sweet cow cheese. If you use only sweet cheese, you will not achieve the same filling, and it is not recommended to modify the proportions if you want to maintain the original flavor. Is it necessary to prick the sheets with a fork? Yes, the sheets are pricked both before adding the filling and after the top sheet is placed. The pricks are distributed across the dough and are part of the recipe steps. When can I cut the cake? After it cools. The filling needs time to set, and the cake will slice more cleanly than if taken out of the oven while hot. How long does it bake? The source does not specify an exact time. The cake is kept in the preheated oven until the surface is beautifully golden. The color of the dough is the indicated reference in the recipe. Nutritional Values The values below are estimates and can vary significantly depending on the type of telemea, the sweet cheese used, the exact amount of flour, and the number of pieces. If the cake is divided into approximately 12 servings, one serving may have around 650–700 kcal, approximately 65–75 g of carbohydrates, 30–35 g of fat, and 20–25 g of protein. The estimate includes the dough with margarine, sugar, eggs, and flour, as well as the filling with the two types of cheese, eggs, sugar, and raisins. Since the flour is listed as "approximately 6 cups," an exact nutritional value cannot be calculated without weighing the amount used. Storage and Reheating The cake is stored covered after it has completely cooled. It is better the next day when the dough becomes more tender and the filling achieves a more uniform texture. The recipe does not include a reheating step. It can be served cold or at room temperature. To maintain a good texture, avoid slicing the cake while it is warm and keep the pieces covered to prevent them from drying out.

Cheese Cake

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