Polish cheesecake
Makes: 12 slices
Prep time: 1 hrTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Nassima Rothacker
Polish cheesecake
Makes: 12 slices
Prep time: 1 hrTotal time: 
See more recipes
Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
506Kcal
Fat
35gr
Saturates
21gr
Carbs
38gr
Sugars
21gr
Fibre
1gr
Protein
9gr
Salt
1gr
Gizzi Erskine
Gizzi Erskine is a chef, food writer and television star most famous for presenting Channel 4's Cook Yourself Thin. She lives in London with her two cats. Her latest book is Gizzi’s Season’s Eatings.
See more of Gizzi Erskine ’s recipes
Gizzi Erskine
Gizzi Erskine is a chef, food writer and television star most famous for presenting Channel 4's Cook Yourself Thin. She lives in London with her two cats. Her latest book is Gizzi’s Season’s Eatings.
See more of Gizzi Erskine ’s recipes
Ingredients
For the crust
- 225g plain flour, plus extra to dust
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 175g very soft butter, diced, plus 1 tsp for greasing
- 4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten (reserve 1 egg white to glaze)
- 2 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra to serve
- 4 tbsp Marsala or Madeira grated zest of 1 lemon
For the filling
- 3 tbsp sultanas
- 1 tbsp cut mixed peel
- 2 tbsp Marsala or Madeira
- 1kg full-fat soft cheese (we used Philadelphia), at room temperature
- 140g golden caster sugar
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out, or 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
- 5 large egg yolks
- grated zest of 1 small orange and 2 tbsp juice
- grated zest of 1 lemon and 2 tbsp juice
Step by step
Get ahead
The cooked cheesecake will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. It also freezes well. Defrost at room temperature for about 6 hours.
- To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, add the butter and mix it in with your fingers until it resembles a coarse rubble. Add the egg yolks (freeze the remaining whites to use for meringues), icing sugar, Marsala and lemon zest; stir until it forms a soft, slightly sticky ball of dough. Do not overhandle it. Cover with clingfilm; chill for 1 hour or until fairly firm.
- While the dough rests, cover the sultanas and peel with the Marsala for a quick soak. Lightly grease a 20cm spring-form cake tin, 7cm deep, with 1 teaspoon of butter.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Break off one third of the dough, dust with flour; return to the fridge until needed. Reshape the rest of the dough into a ball and roll out into a circle approximately 30cm in diameter. Carefully drape the circle of dough over the rolling pin and lift into the tin, pressing into the base and sides to line it. Cut off any excess pastry with a knife.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon to beat the soft cheese with the sugar, flour, salt and vanilla until combined. Add the yolks, followed by the citrus zests and juices, and the soaked dried fruit and soaking liquor; mix until creamy. Set aside.
- Take the reserved dough from the fridge and roll out to 2-3mm thick. Trim to a rectangle about 16 x 23cm, then cut it into 8 long strips about 2cm wide. Slightly beat the reserved egg white and brush over the strips. Spoon the filling into the lined tin and smooth the surface. Arrange the strips to form a lattice over the cheesecake (glazed side upwards), pressing the ends onto the pastry case. Put the cheesecake in the oven, with a tray on the shelf below to catch any drips. Cook for 1 hour or until the filling is firm to the touch, but still with a slight wobble, and the pastry is cooked and golden. Cover the top of the cheesecake with foil after 45 minutes to stop it browning too much.
- Switch off the oven and leave the door slightly ajar. Cool to room temperature in the oven (about 4 hours). When cool, run a knife around the edge, then unclip the tin and remove the cheesecake. Slide onto a plate; sprinkle with icing sugar. Serve at room temperature in slices; store in the fridge.
