Cheesecake – the most popular cake in the Europe, who knows if not even in the world.
It was always obvious to me, that cheesecake was one of the most popular desserts in Poland, but until I moved out of country I didn’t know that it is the same abroad.
Cheesecake’s flavor and quality depends most of all on the type and quality of cheese.
And so on, in some regions like Germany and Poland people use quark (cottage cheese), in Italy Ricotta, in Greece Feta or Mizithra, in USA and UK Philadelphia.
Apparently, there is some historical evidence that cheesecake was already known in ancient times. A Greek Philosopher wrote a book about the art of making a cheesecake (it was one of the first cook books in the world). Cheesecake of that time was a luxurious rarity destined for Olimpics’ winners. As an Olympian living at these times, I would definetely do my best 😎
Cheesecake was also known to Romans. Cato the Elder in “De Re Rustica” (“Country Matters”) has published recipe for labium (cheesecake connected with religious rituals). And his great-grandson, Politician Marcus Porcius Cato introduced the first known to us cheesecake recipe, wchich is as follows: Crush well 2 kilograms of cheese in mortar, add a pound of bread from wheat flour, combine with cheese, add one egg and mix very well. Mould a pie and bake on hot stone”. 🧐
Cheesecake became known in Europe thanks to territory expansion of Romans. It is most likely that it became know in Poland since our king Jan III Sobieski brought it on his way back from battle at Wien. “Wien Cheesecake” is the most traditional cheesecake in Poland and has hundreds of fans 🙂
So according to my source, this is how Europeans have fallen in love to this cake and created their own ways of this sweet delicacy. I don’t know how much truth and legend is there, but it sounds quite realistic and very fascinating !
Now – let me introduce to you one of the recipes, which is really worthy trying. I have found the original recipe on my favourite blog mojewypieki.com.
This cake is very easy and quick to make, it also contains a lot of fruits – so even if you don’t bake often, I am sure you will be able to bake this without any problems !
Strawberry Cheesecake
Ingredients – biscuits layer:
✔️ 170 g digestive biscuits
✔️ 60 g melted butter
Crush the cookies thoroughly with a blender. Alternatively, you can crush them by roller - just put the cookies in a strong bag and hit them hard with a roller several times.
Mix with melted butter to create a mass with the consistency of wet sand.
A cake tin with a diameter of 20 cm array with baking paper (only the underside).
Put the cookie mass on the bottom, align. Let it chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.
Ingredients - cheese mass:
✔️ 500 g of whole or semi-skimmed cottage cheese, ground/blended at least twice
✔️ ½ cup whipping cream
✔️ 2 eggs
✔️ 3 tbs lemon juice
✔️ 2/3 cup caster sugar
✔️ 1 tbs potato flour
✔️ 1 tbs wheat flour
✔️ 1 tsp vanilla extract
✔️ 300 g strawberries (if frozen, do not defrost them earlier)
All ingredients should be at room temperature.
All ingredients for cheese mass (except of strawberries) put in a mixer bowl. Mix until combined. Do not mix too long to unnecessarily aerate the cheese mass - the aerated cheesecake will grow strongly, and then it will drop. We do not want this; cheesecake after baking should be even as a table.
Pour cheese mass onto previously prepared biscuits layer. If possible, cut strawberries in halves and put on the top of the cheese mass. Squeeze them lightly into the cheesecake so that they protrude slightly above it.
Bake at 150ºC for about 60 minutes.
The cheesecake is ready once is curdled and springy on top.
Cool down in a slightly tilted oven, then cool in the fridge for about 12 hours.
Before serving, sprinkle with icing sugar. You can also decorate it with some more fresh strawberries.
Enjoy 😙
To be fair, only sometime ago I have realized there is so many recipes of one cake in so many countries. I have found this incredible. One of the most interesting and known to me ways to prepare the cheesecake is to include cooked potatoes as one of ingredients.
What about you❔ Do you like cheesecake? What is your favourite type of cheesecake? Do you know any interesting history / legend about this cake?
If so, I will be very curious to hear about them! Let me know in comments !
MуƘιтcнєηLαв
***
Read my other posts:
The easiest Strawberry Birthday Cake
100% healthy Chocolate Pudding (only in Polish, English version available soon)
Smoothie Bowls - Guilt Free 100% Healthy Ice Cream
For more inspiration, follow me on instagram