Túrós Pite

Ingredients

• 1½ lbquarkdry curd cheese, blend smooth if lumpy
• 5Eggseparated, whites beaten to peaks
• ¾ cupSour creammakes the filling creamy
• 2lemonunwaxed, zest grated, some juice used
• 7 ozsugargranulated or icing sugar for the filling
• 4 tbspsemolinabinds the filling, let swell briefly
• 4 tbsprice semolinabinder for the flourless version instead of wheat semolina (optional)
• 2¾ ozvanilla pudding powderextra binding without flour (optional)
• ¼ ozvanilla sugarfor flavouring (optional)
• 1 tspvanilla extractalternative to vanilla sugar
• 3½ ozraisinssoaked briefly in water (optional)
• 1¾ ozbuttermelted into the filling or for greasing the tin
• 1 tspbaking powderscant half a sachet, lightens the filling (optional)
• 1 pinchSaltfor the egg whites
• 1 tspcinnamonin the filling or for dusting (optional)
• 8¾ ozflouronly for the versions with a pastry base, omitted in the flourless one (optional)
• icing sugarfor dusting before serving (optional)

Method

1. Separate the eggs, beat the whites with a pinch of salt until they hold peaks, and set them aside.
2. Whisk the yolks with the sugar for several minutes until pale and foamy; if the quark is at all lumpy, work it smooth with a blender first.
3. Stir the quark, sour cream, melted butter, grated lemon zest, a little lemon juice and vanilla sugar or vanilla extract into the yolk mixture.
4. Mix the semolina with the vanilla pudding powder and baking powder, fold it in along with the soaked raisins, and let the mixture swell and rest briefly.
5. Fold in the beaten egg whites gently, in two or three additions, so the filling stays airy.
6. Line a baking tin with parchment or grease it with butter, pour in the mixture and smooth the top.
7. Bake at around 355 °F for 35–40 minutes until golden brown, then check with a skewer.
8. Let the cake cool completely in the tin, dust with icing sugar — mixed with cinnamon if you like — and cut into pieces.

Tips and variations

Instead of wheat semolina, rice semolina with vanilla pudding powder binds the filling just as reliably, with sweetener in place of sugar. You can also bake it as an open slice and scatter preserved plums, peaches, sour cherries or berries over the top before it goes into the oven, then finish with cinnamon icing sugar once it's baked. You can also give it a base: a covered version with yeast dough made from flour, butter, egg yolk, milk and yeast, or a tart tin lined with blind-baked shortcrust brushed thinly with apricot jam before the quark mixture goes in. Some bake it in two stages, starting at 190 °C and finishing at 175 °C; others chill the mixture for an hour beforehand. Serve it fully cooled — or lukewarm, if patience runs short.