Cakes and Desserts, Cakes, 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.
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”

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 and Desserts, Cooked Fruits, Jams, Jelly, fruit, mousse, Recipes

Caramelized Apples and Honey with Whipped Cream

The Jewish New Year is celebrated today, and this brings back memories of traditional foods. One of the culinary traditions for this festive event, is to dip a slice of apple in honey, and eat it as a symbol for a sweet New Year. Plenty other sweet dishes are added to the table as well, in order to emphasize this hope for a sweet New Year. Continue reading “Caramelized Apples and Honey with Whipped Cream”

Cookies, Recipes, Snack

Raw Cacao, Red Wine, Raisins and Pecan Cookies

The following cookies will delight anyone who loves chewy cookies, with a crunchy, sugary coating. Continue reading “Raw Cacao, Red Wine, Raisins and Pecan Cookies”

breakfast, Brunch, Cakes, Cookies, Recipes, Vegetables

Carrots, Almonds, Coconut and Golden Raisins Breakfast Bars

While I mostly prefer a protein-based breakfast, I also like to have other options every now and then. The following super-healthy bars are a good example of that: they are loaded with high fiber ingredients, fairly low on sugar and fat, and are a great tasty way to start the day. Continue reading “Carrots, Almonds, Coconut and Golden Raisins Breakfast Bars”

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

Filo Purses filled with Apples, Honey and Golden Raisins

The Jewish New Year is celebrated tomorrow, and this brings back memories of traditional foods, even to an agnostic such as myself. One of the culinary traditions for this event, is to dip a slice of apple in honey, and eat it as a symbol for a sweet New Year. Plenty other sweet dishes are added to the table as well, in order to emphasize this hope for a sweet New Year.
The following dessert was inspired by this tradition. Continue reading “Filo Purses filled with Apples, Honey and Golden Raisins”

Cakes, Recipes

Poppy Seeds, Almonds and Golden Raisins Tart

With a thin layer of crumbly dough, and a generous amount of poppy seeds filling, this tasty tart will delight anyone who is fond of poppy seeds. Their unique nutty flavor is enhanced even more with the addition of almond flour; while the lemon, strawberry jam and raisins balance it with their subtle acidity. Try it and enjoy. Continue reading “Poppy Seeds, Almonds and Golden Raisins Tart”

Brunch, Cookies, Recipes

Freezer Butter Cookies: One dough, Three Flavors – Take 2

I posted the original recipe for these tasty cookies  almost three years ago (recipe can be found HERE). Since then, I’ve made various variations of the basic dough, but neglected to photograph these variations. Continue reading “Freezer Butter Cookies: One dough, Three Flavors – Take 2”

Cookies, Recipes

Oatmeal, Coconut and Raisins Cookies

As rolled oats cookies are among my favorites, I make them often, and each time I try to come up with a new flavor. This time I decided on the combination of coconut and golden raisins, which resulted extra tasty cookies, well worth of documenting. Continue reading “Oatmeal, Coconut and Raisins Cookies”

Halibut with caramelized onions, tomatoes and raisins Ronit Penso
appetizer, Entree, Fish, Recipes

Halibut with Lightly Caramelized Onions, Tomatoes and Raisins

Halibut with caramelized onions, tomatoes and raisins Ronit PensoDue to a hectic week I didn’t have the time to prepare a new post, so I’ve decided to re-post this recipe, from the earlier days of the blog. Many of you probably haven’t seen it, and those who did will hopefully enjoy a reminder for this tasty recipe. Continue reading “Halibut with Lightly Caramelized Onions, Tomatoes and Raisins”