My Favorite Recipe Ever: German Cheesecake

     If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? I think we've all heard that question and given it at least a minute or two of thought. Today's recipe is my answer. This cheesecake is so uniquely delicious, that I could never get tired of it. Cheesecake as a general category is my favorite food, but this one specifically stands out from the rest. I truly believe that my love for cheesecake has a lot to do with the fact that my great grandfather actually invented the cheesecake, or so the story goes. I never got to meet him, but my grandma has told me this story many times. He was a baker, among other things, and he apparently was the first person to invent the cheesecake, but sold the recipe to a friend at a baking convention. So maybe he could have been as famous as Eli, but it was not meant to be.
     So that's why I love cheesecake, but why do I love this cheesecake? Of course it has to do with my travels in Germany. In Berlin, there's this huge department store called KaDeWe. It has 6 or 7 stories, and the entire top floor is a gourmet grocery store and café. One day, my tour group went there for lunch, and for dessert, I had my first taste of German cheesecake. And guess what, it was awful! First of all, it wasn't even cold, and on top of that, it had a really crumbly texture. Initially, I was really grossed out, but still, there was something else about it that I kind of almost liked. If I ignored the weird texture, the flavor of it was very different and interesting. It's hard to describe, but it's cheesier than American cheesecake. For a long time, I couldn't figure out why, but after a little research, I found my answer: Quark.

     Quark is a distinctly German dairy product that I describe as a cross between cream cheese, sour cream, and yogurt. It's thick, slightly tangy, and technically qualifies as a cheese. But the great thing about it is that it's pretty good for you! People use it in baking, but you can also just eat a bowl of it with fruit for breakfast. Apparently German cheesecakes are all made from this stuff, and that's what makes them so different. So be prepared for that. It's nothing like a New York cheesecake, but it's approximately 62 times better than that. If made properly, a German cheesecake will have the tangy flavor of Quark but will also be smooth and creamy.
     But here's the catch: Quark is ridiculously hard to find in this country. So far, I only know of one company from Vermont that produces it, and I have only been able to find it at Whole Foods. It's rare and it's expensive, so this recipe is a once in a while treat, but that just makes me appreciate it more when I do have it. I know this isn't something that you guys are going to make all the time, but please try it at least once. I'm not exaggerating when I say that it's my favorite food on the planet. Maybe it could be yours too.

INGREDIENTS:
For crust:
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 stick of cold butter, cubed
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 egg

For filling:
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 stick of butter, softened
1/2 cup of heavy cream or half and half
2lbs Quark
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 and grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan.
2. This crust is really easy to make. Prepare it by hand with a pastry cutter or in a food processor. First, mix the dry ingredients together, then cut in the butter until it gets that pebbly pie crust texture. Mix the egg in last.

3. Dump the crust mixture into the pan and press it along the bottom and as far up the sides as you can. The crust should be pretty thick. It'll seem too dry at first, but when it's all done, it'll be absolutely perfect. Unlike a thin graham cracker crust, this should be like cheesecake on top of a shortbread cookie. Bake the crust by itself at 325 for 10 minutes, then let it cool before filling it.
4. Make the filling. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy. Then, add the softened butter. When that's incorporated, add all of the other filling ingredients and continue to blend until it's completely smooth.

5. Pour the filling into the pan and bake at 325 for 70-90 minutes. I know that seems like a big range, but it depends on so many factors. After 60 to 70 minutes, check the center with a toothpick every 10 minutes. I have made this many times, and each time it takes a different amount of time, but it's usually closer to 90 minutes in my oven. Just keep a close eye on it, and when the toothpick comes out clean, it's done. It will have cracks in it unless you really want to bake it in a water bath, but I just love the homemade look!

6. Now it's time for the hard part: Getting the thing to chill thoroughly within a safe amount of time. Most people would probably tell you to let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour and then refrigerate it. But I've tried that, and I ended up with a cheesecake that was still lukewarm in the middle after 5 hours, and that's just gross. Most people will think this is crazy, but here's my best advice: Let the cheesecake cool at room temperature for just 20-30 minutes until the pan is cool enough that you can take it off and transfer it to a large plate. Then put it straight into the freezer for at least an hour, maybe two. Don't forget about it in there, and transfer it to the fridge after that.

7. Slice it up, and top it with your favorite fruit if you want to. This cheesecake is actually really good just plain, but this time, I sprinkled some pomegranate seeds over the top because you know how I love pomegranates! 

     I'm sorry that this post is so long...wait no, I'm really not. My favorite food deserves all the detail. I really hope that people try this even though it takes a little time and effort. My whole mission in writing this blog is to get people to stop being afraid of baking. I hope I explain things in a way that makes it seem simple because that's why I love cooking. If you can follow directions, you can create something great. So enjoy, and come back tomorrow for more!