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No-Bake Cherry Quark Cake

Prep
45 min
Chill
4 hr
Total
4 hr 45 min
Makes
12 pieces

Ingredients

Base

  • 4 oz120 gchocolatemilk chocolate
  • 3 oz80 gchocolatedark chocolate
  • 4 cups120 gcornflakes

Filling 1

  • 1 jarcherriesfor example morello cherries. Morello cherries are sour cherries, usually bought in jars in their juice. In the US use jarred morello cherries, or canned tart cherries in water (not pie filling); in the UK, jarred morello cherries.
  • 2 tbspgranulated sugar
  • ⅓ cupcustard pudding powdervanilla flavor, or the same amount of cornstarch. 1 packet = about ⅓ cup (37 g). Custard pudding powder is a packet of flavored starch that is usually cooked into a thick pudding. In the US use about ⅓ cup (40 g) cornstarch plus 1 tsp vanilla extract per packet; in the UK, custard powder, about 40 g per German packet. Cornstarch is a fine starch, usually made from corn (UK: cornflour).
  • 2 tspvanilla sugar1 packet = 2 tsp (8 g). Vanilla sugar here is sugar flavored with vanillin (artificial vanilla), sold in small packets of about 8 g. In the US use 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar for each 8 g packet; in the UK, vanilla sugar sachets, or 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar per sachet.
  • 1 to 2 tbspkirschA clear cherry brandy. In the US use kirsch (kirschwasser); in the UK, kirsch.

Filling 2

  • 4 sheetsgelatinGerman recipes usually mean gelatin sheets of about 1.7 g each. In the US use unflavored powdered gelatin, about ½ tsp (1.7 g) per sheet, bloomed in cold water; in the UK, leaf gelatine, weighed (about 1.7 g per German sheet), or powdered gelatine.
  • 1 ½ cups350 gquarkany fat content. Quark is a fresh, mild and slightly tangy cheese with a spoonable texture. In the US use full-fat Greek yogurt strained overnight, or farmer's cheese; in the UK, quark from the supermarket chiller (choose a full-fat one if you can find it).
  • 6 tbsp80 ggranulated sugar
  • 2 tspvanilla sugar1 packet = 2 tsp (8 g)
  • ¾ cup plus 1 tbsp200 mlheavy creamcold. German cream for whipping has about 30 to 32 percent fat. In the US use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream; in the UK, whipping cream (double cream also works but whips faster, so watch it).

Glaze

  • ½ cup125 mlcherry juice
  • 7 tbsp100 mlwater
  • 1 packetagar-based gelling powderA plant-based gelling powder made with agar; it has to be boiled briefly to set. In the US and the UK use agar agar powder, using the amount on its package because strengths vary.
  • 1 tspgranulated sugar

Optional decoration

  • 7 tbsp100 mlheavy creamwhipped
  • cherries
  • chocolate cornflake clustersSmall crunchy clusters of cornflakes in chocolate, sold in bags. In the US and the UK use chocolate cornflake clusters, or cornflakes stirred into melted chocolate and left to set.

Method

Base

  1. Line a 10-inch (26 cm) springform pan with parchment paper.

  2. Melt the two chocolates and stir in the cornflakes. Spread the mixture over the bottom of the pan in an even layer.

  3. Chill.

Filling 1

  1. Drain the cherries and catch the juice. Set aside ½ cup (125 ml) for the glaze, pour the rest into a saucepan and bring it to a boil with the sugar, vanilla sugar & custard pudding powder until everything has thickened. This is where you can add the kirsch if you like.

  2. Gently stir in the cherries, then let the mixture cool for a few minutes.

  3. Spread it over the cold chocolate cornflake base and put it back in the fridge.

  4. As soon as the cherries in the pan have cooled completely, carry on with filling 2.

Filling 2

  1. Soak the gelatin in plenty of cold water, adding the sheets one at a time, and let them soften for 10 minutes.

  2. Stir the quark with the sugar & vanilla sugar. Whip the cream until stiff.

  3. Fold the whipped cream into the quark. Take the gelatin out of the water and melt it in the microwave, but don't let it get very hot, let alone boil.

  4. Stir a few spoonfuls of the quark mixture into the gelatin, then stir this back into the rest of the quark mixture. Pour the filling into the springform pan over the cherries and spread it evenly. Chill for 3 to 4 hours.

Glaze

  1. Put the glaze ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat and let them bubble for 2 minutes, stirring, then let the mixture cool for a few minutes.

  2. Pour the liquid over the quark filling and spread it quickly and evenly. Chill again for about 30 minutes.

Decoration

  1. Pipe the whipped cream on top with a piping bag and garnish with cherries and chocolate cornflake clusters.

From German Pastry Chef. Full recipe with photos: germanpastrychef.com/recipes/no-bake-cherry-quark-cake/