Sernik Wiedeński (Viennese Cheesecake)

I recently tested another recipe from my family collection. The holidays are coming and cheesecakes will be baked by the dozen, so I decided to try one of the many recipes I have.

I suggest a Viennese cheesecake (sernik wiedeński).

I don't know why so many people are afraid to make this kind of cheesecake. It's very easy to prepare, and on top of that it's delicate and melts in your mouth.

As a test, I made this cheesecake with ready-made, already creamed twaróg (Polish farmer's cheese), without changing the amounts, because it's hard for me to get Polish block twaróg here. Because of that, my cheesecake was very moist. But the taste is heavenly. Ohhhh, I love cheesecakes!

I looked for information on how to make a cheesecake that doesn't sink. People often write about special additives or baking methods. They work for some and not for others. I don't like any special stabilizers, so I bake without them. I also haven't found a tried-and-true way to keep a cheesecake from sinking. There are tons of opinions and methods. I stick with the version that it's simply the nature of a Viennese cheesecake to sink. I really like that about it.

When baking a cheesecake, it's important to put it into a well-preheated oven. Also, you must not open the oven during baking, nor poke or prick the cheesecake. Cheesecakes don't like that. It's also better to let the cheesecake brown a little more than to underbake it. That way there's a chance it will sink less.

Oh, and next time I would add less sugar, because to me it was too sweet. But that's a matter of taste, as always.

Viennese cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 8 eggs
• 400 g powdered sugar
• vanilla sugar
• 1 kg full-fat twaróg (Polish farmer's cheese), ground twice
• 4 tbsp semolina
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp potato starch
• 1 block butter (250 g)
• 2 level tsp baking powder
• 1 bottle flavor extract (I used rum)
• raisins or candied orange peel

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Melt the butter.

Beat the yolks with the powdered sugar until fluffy, then add the vanilla sugar, the ground cheese, and after a moment the semolina, flour and potato starch. Then, stirring constantly, pour in the melted, cooled butter, and only at the end add the baking powder, the extract, and the raisins or orange peel. It's important that everything is mixed together well.

Beat the egg whites until stiff and gently fold them into the cheese mixture.

Pour into a previously prepared springform pan or rectangular baking pan and bake for 1 hour.

I can't tell you how big the pan should be, though. I suspect "normal" sizes (my mom always baked it in a large rectangular pan or a large springform pan).

I made ¼ of the recipe and baked it in a pan 16 cm in diameter.

Enjoy!