Cakes, Cakes and Desserts, Cheese, Recipes

Cottage Cheese and Almond Cake with Chocolate Glaze

As much as I love cheese cakes, most of the traditional ones are way too heavy for my taste, and I always try to find some tasty alternatives for them.
This time, I chose cottage cheese instead of cream cheese, and was looking for some inspiration over the net. I’ve discovered a Swedish cottage cheese cake, named Ostakaka, that uses rice flour and almond extract in the batter, along with heavy cream. As I didn’t have rice flour, nor heavy cream, at hand, I’ve decided to simply create my own recipe, with the cottage cheese and almond combination in mind – and ended up with the following gluten-free cake.
In order to enhance the almond flavor and aroma, I’ve decided on adding a larger amount of almond flour to the batter, along with cornstarch, instead of rice flour. This gave the cake wonderful texture and flavor. Instead of heavy cream, I used sour cream, which added a nice subtle acidity to the cake. I also added some golden raisins to the batter, simply because I love raisins in cheese cakes.
Another addition I’ve decided on was, to top the cake with chocolate glaze. This somewhat bitter chocolate glaze gave the cake the right balance, both in flavor and color.
Despite all of these additions, the cake is still substantially less heavy, and less sweet, than traditional cheese cakes, yet, at the same time, it is just as rich and flavorful. Try it and enjoy.

Makes: 12-14
Prep time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 1 hour
Chilling time: overnight
Cooking time for the chocolate glaze: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
For the raisins:
½ cup golden raisins
2 Tbs cornstarch
For the batter;
1 cup almond flour
1 cup sugar
½ cup cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
24oz (680 grams) small curd cottage cheese 4% fat
¾ cup sour cream
2 L eggs
1 tsp vanilla
A few drops pure almond extract
For the glaze:
4 Tbs milk
4 Tbs sugar
4 Tbs dark cocoa powder
4 Tbs (2 oz, 60 grams) butter, at room temperature

  1. Preheat the oven to 320F (160C). Line a 10.2” (26cm) baking pan with baking paper.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the raisins with the cornstarch, and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the almond flour, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Using a hand blander, blend all to a fine powder.
  4. Add the cottage cheese, sour cream, eggs, vanilla and almond extract. Blend with a hand blender, to a fairly smooth, but still a bit lumpy, mixture.
  5. Switching to a spatula, mix in the raisins, and pour the batter into the lined pan.
  6. Bake for 1 hour, until the cake is set and the edges are golden. Turn off the oven, but leave the cake in it for 1 hour. Take out and let cool to room temperature.
  7. Place the cake in the fridge and let cool completely. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge overnight.
  8. The glaze: mix the milk, sugar and cocoa powder in a small pot. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the butter and cook for 1-2 minutes, mixing constantly, until an even glaze is formed. Let cool a bit, mix well and pour over the cake. Place in the fridge until the glaze is set.
  9. Using the baking paper, carefully lift the cake from the pan onto a cutting board. With a large sharp knife, cut into sections, and serve at room temperature.
Cakes, Cakes and Desserts, fruit, Recipes

Mango, Pistachio and Cardamom Galette

 

Finding some ripe and sweet fresh mangoes at the store, I was thinking about ways to use them, other then, obviously, enjoying them as is. As I was in the mood for baking a galette, I’ve decided they would be perfect for that. Continue reading “Mango, Pistachio and Cardamom Galette”

Cakes, Cakes and Desserts, Cooked Fruits, Jams, Jelly, Crisp, Food, fruit, Recipes

Blueberry Cobbler

 

Cobbler is the perfect dessert for anyone who loves stewed fruit, topped with a cake-like batter. While it is British in origin, cobbler is also one of the most popular American desserts as well.
Different types of fruit, or a combination of some, can be used for the fruit layer. The topping can also vary, from thin batter (as the one I have here), to heavier ones. All these versions are similar in how quick and easy they can be prepared. Continue reading “Blueberry Cobbler”

Brunch, Cakes and Desserts, Cookies, Recipes

Lime and Lavender Cookies

 

Pairing lime and lavender is one of my favorites, and when I decided on baking some crisp lime cookies, (slightly based on the recipe for my lemon-almond drop cookies,) I thought this aromatic pairing would work well in the form of cookies as well. Continue reading “Lime and Lavender Cookies”

Cakes, Cakes and Desserts, Recipes

Vanilla Cake with Apricot Jam and Chocolate Frosting

 

Whenever I want to bake a quick tasty cake, a heavy cream based one would be one of my first choices, as it requires only a few basic ingredients, and it can be mixed in a short time, in one bowl. Another important reason for choosing this type of cake is that it has a wonderful rich texture and flavor, that can be easily altered with just a few spices or ingredients. Continue reading “Vanilla Cake with Apricot Jam and Chocolate Frosting”

Brunch, Cakes and Desserts, Cookies, Food, Recipes

Condensed Milk Dough Cookies with Poppy Seed Filling

 

Ever since I’ve discovered the following condensed milk dough, I’ve been using it in different ways, and was very pleased with the results every time.
This time, I matched this wonderful dough with an equally wonderful poppy seed filling, and the result was just as pleasing. Continue reading “Condensed Milk Dough Cookies with Poppy Seed Filling”

appetizer, Brunch, Cakes and Desserts, fruit, Recipes, Snack

Mini Filo Shells with Pears, Dried Cranberries and Pistachios

 

Having a box of filo pastry shells in the freezer, makes it extremely easy to prepare sweet or savory tasty finger food. All that is needed is to quickly crisp the shell in a toaster oven, and fill them with whatever filling you have in mind. Continue reading “Mini Filo Shells with Pears, Dried Cranberries and Pistachios”

Brunch, Cakes, Cakes and Desserts, Cheese, fruit, Recipes

Swirl Sour Cream Cake with Dried Fruit and Walnuts

 

The following swirl cake is a wintry version of a summery fresh fruit cake I have posted a few years ago. Continue reading “Swirl Sour Cream Cake with Dried Fruit and Walnuts”

Bread, Brunch, Cakes, Cakes and Desserts, Recipes, Vegetables

Spiced Zucchini Cake with Golden Raisins and Walnuts

 

When the weather outside is getting colder, a simple homey cake. served with a hot beverage, is a good way to keep warm. The following zucchini cake is exactly that. Continue reading “Spiced Zucchini Cake with Golden Raisins and Walnuts”

Cakes, Cakes and Desserts, fruit, ice cream, Recipes

Banana, Marzipan and Dried Cherry Cake, with Chocolate Glaze

 

Cherries and almonds pair wonderfully well together, so, when I was planning on baking a banana cake, flavored with my homemade marzipan, it was an easy decision to add dried cherries to it. Belgium cherry beer, that I also had at hand, was the perfect way to enhance the cherry flavor, and give the cake a lighter texture. Continue reading “Banana, Marzipan and Dried Cherry Cake, with Chocolate Glaze”

Cakes and Desserts, Cookies, Food, Snack, Sweets

Cookie Time

 

As I was working on quite a few batches of assorted cookies lately, I thought it could be a good idea, to compile some of the cookie recipes from the earlier days of the blog, which I believe are worth another visit.  Try them and enjoy. Continue reading “Cookie Time”