Kaesekuchen

(German cheese cake)


Crust:
½ lb. flour (about 2 cups)
¼ lb sugar (about ¾ cup)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 stick margarine/butter (softened)
1 egg

Cut all ingredients to a crumb-like consistency and pat into greased spring form. Then fill with the filling mixture.

Filling:
1 ½ - 2 lbs. Ricotta cheese
½ lb sugar (about 1 ½ cups)
1 stick margarine/butter (softened)
1 prepared small package vanilla pudding
2 Tbs. cornstarch
½ tsp. vanilla
3 egg yokes
2 containers plain yogurt*
3 stiff egg whites

Mix well, folding the egg whites in last.

(*if you don’t have plain yogurt, vanilla seems to work as well, but then just put in less vanilla flavor)
Bake at 375 F for 70 -90 min, on the top rack. Check the cake about 15 min before it’s done, and if it looks like it’s getting dark on top, place some foil over it. Make sure to do the toothpick test before taking it out of the oven (sometimes it takes longer). Cool in the fridge completely before serving. If you wish, you can dust the top with powdered sugar.

(Recipe courtesy of Didi Lawson, photos by Pirijo Silver