Rakoczi Curd Cheese Cake -Special /Rákóczi-Túrós

I already made this Hungarian speciality(the original is here), named after a Hungarian mater pastry chef János Rákóczi. It is well famous all over the world and Hungary (whichever party shop you go in Hungary, you will find this dessert among many others). It made up from several layers: biscuit like bottom pasty, curd cheese, apricot and soft meringue. This time I adapted this recipe for my new baking pan: the 8 slice cake moulds.

Rákóczi-túrós in Zila Cake Mould

For the base

250 g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

120 g butter

120 g sugar

1 egg yolk

1 dl soured cream

1 tbsp lemon zest

For the curd cheese filling

2 eggs+1 extra egg yolk

500 g curd cheese/Quark *more on this at the Tricks and Recommendations

120 g sugar

50 g semolina

1-2 tbsp bread crumbs

1 vanilla pod

For the filling

apricot jam

tinned/fresh apricot

For the meringue

2 egg whites

80 g icing sugar 

Shift the flour and the baking powder together in a bowl, then add the butter, sugar, egg yolk, soured cream and lemon zest and work it together. Form a dough ball and knead a little so all ingredients are well incorporated. Wrap it in cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

In the meantime you can prepare the filling. Mix together the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, then add in the curd cheese, semolina and vanilla seeds and mix again.

Preheat the oven to 180 °C.On a floured surface roll the pastry to about 5-8mm thick(or to the size of the Zila Cake Mould).

Spray the Zila Cake Mould with a vegetable based releasing agent and pour in the curd cheese filling. With a soft spatula try to compress the filing into all cavities and when finished tap the Mould (placing first on a pan) to the work-surface a few times.
This is very important to avoid empty bubbles when turned up side down after baking

Sprinkle on top the bread crumbs(in case the curd cheese layer would release any juice after turned upside down the breadcrumbs would absorb it). Place on top the pastry, trim the edges and prick with a fork. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the pastry is nice golden brown.

Leave it to cool as we take out from the oven for 10-15 minutes, then turn it up side down. Remove the silicon part and the stainless steel ring and leave it to cool completely.

Place chopped apricots to the cavities and fill them with apricot jam.

In a mixing bowl whip the egg whites to soft peaks then add the icing sugar and mix it to further 5 minutes until the mixture is nice and shiny. Place the meringue in a piping bag and pipe on top of the cake, leaving the slice divider lines exposed, so you know where you should cut it.  

You can either put back the cake into the lukewarm oven until the top hardened or you can use a blow torch(much faster if you ask me).

All left is have a slice and enjoy.

Mini Pineapple and Curd Cheese Cake

The second dessert I prepared for my dinner guests in my Lakeland straight sided mini cake pan is basically a tiny version of my full sized Hungarian summer fruit and curd cheese cake ,but with a twist. First of all I used a different chocolate sponge and I made the curd cheese layer sweeter to complement the pineapple topping. Also I have to mention it took about 2 times longer.........But the visual results worth it:) As I prepared with the Chocolate Swirl Banana Mousse at the same time, you will see both on the pictures. 

 Mini Pineapple and Curd Cheese Cake 

For the sponge

75 g self-raising flour

1.5 tbsp cocoa powder

85 g butter at room temperature

85 g golden caster sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

1-2 tbsp milk

Curd Cheese layer

100 ml double cream 

20 g icing sugar

125g curd cheese *More on this at the Tricks and Recommendations

1\2 vanilla pod

Top layer

Fresh Pineapple-(you only need about 1/3 of a pineapple-cubed to small pieces)

1 Greens Quick Orange Jel or any other oragne cake cover jelly

acetate stips

40g chocolate for decoration-optional 

Heat the oven to 180 C and prepare a 23cm cake tin(you can use square one, doesn't matter as we will cut little rounds anyway).

Put all the cake ingredients in a  large bowl. Beat them together with an electric mixer until you have a creamy mixture. Add a little more milk if the mix is too stiff- it should fall easily from a spoon.

Pour the cake mix into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the sponge springs back when pressed. Cool the cake than cut the sponge with a cake leveller to have a nice even layer base for the cake (it should be about 8 mm thick).

I used the little plastic holder of the tin bases to cut the circles and in the end, I managed 9 sponge rounds. More than what I needed, but some back up always handy in case of emergencies and it tastes nice with some jam.

Place the sponge circles into your form and put some acetate strips around the sides of the sponge. On one hand I needed some extra hight for my cakes, and on the other hand it will be easier to lift them out, and when I remove the strips I will have clear, neat layers without curd cheese marks everywhere.

To prepare the curd cheese layer whip the double cream to soft peaks then add the curd cheese, vanilla seeds and the icing sugar and mix it again. 

Divide the mixture between the 6 mould and press it down with your fingers. You have to create a perfectly flat and sealed curd cheese layer, because if you leave a tiny gap on the side your jelly will pour to the bottom and soften your sponge and ruin the cake.

With a kitchen towel clean the acetate strip that "may" have some curd cheese on. It is important in order to have a nice layer of clean jelly. Place on top your chopped pineapple, ideally it will be levelled as well so the jelly can cover the whole surface without pineapple pieces sticking out.

Prepare your cake cover jelly according to the instructions on the packaging- it is all different for each brand so I won't detail here.

When it is ready leave it to cool, stirring time to time. When it is about room temperature pour on top of the pineapple and place the cakes into the fridge to harden.

To prepare the chocolate decoration just melt the chocolate and with a piping bag create any shape on a non stick baking sheet. I put it into the freezer so it would set in time....and I forget them. After I prepared everything and paced them in front of the guest, my husband asked the whereabouts of the chocolate work.....Sometimes he is useful:)

Sour Cherry and Curd Cheese Pie

It is almost holiday time for us(3 more days to go:)), so I have to start use up everything in the fridge. We bought some curd cheese last week with the intention to do something very different, but as I cached cold I haven't come around to do it. So this is my "I feel so much better pie":quick, easy and yummy.

Sour Cherry and Curd Cheese Pie

For the pastry

250 g plain flour

120 g butter(at room temperature)

100 g sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

1 tbsp soured cream-if needed

For the filling

500 g curd cheese *more on this in the Tricks and Recommendations

80 g sugar

1 vanilla pod

1 egg

100 ml double cream

juice of half lemon

2 tbsp semolina+2 tbsp semolina to sprinkle on top of the dough

1 sour cherry pie filling(I used shop bought one, but you can use fresh soured cherry+cherry jam)

egg wash on top

Place the flour and baking powder in a big bowl and rub in the soft butter. Add the sugar and eggs and work together to get a dough. Whether if you need the soured cream or not it is down to the ingredients you use (depends on the size of your eggs, temperature so on-sometimes I need it sometimes I don't)...so add soured cream if you need, to get a very soft, but not sticky dough. Kneed it for 2-3 minutes then cover it and put it in the fridge until you prepare your filling.

Mix the curd cheese with the sugar, seeds of the vanilla pod, egg, double cream and 2 tbsp semolina. 

Preheat the oven to 180C and line a 25X20cm baking tray with baking paper.

Divide the dough into two parts (2/3 - 1/3) and on a floured surface roll 2/3 of the pastry to 3-4 mm thickness. Lay the dough into the prepared tin and prick the surface with a fork. 

Sprinkle 2 tbsp semolina to the dough(it protects the dough from the liquid released by the curd cheese, therefore making sure the bottom will be soft, but not under baked). Now lay your curd cheese filling on top of the semolina layer, level it, then spread on top the cherry filling. 

To create the lattice pattern roll out the rest of the dough on your work surface and with a pizza cutter cut long strips.
Place your pastry strips on top of the pie, and brush it with egg wash (not like me because I forgot to do it:) Bake it in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.

Summer Field Rainbow Cake

It is my sister's 14th birthday!!!!!! As she is staying with me for a month, we had the chance to prepare her cake together! I had this vision before...with the grass, flowers and the butterflies.....that hides a rainbow cake underneath. I have to say it all turned out very well, but I am not truly happy with the cake sponge. I used curd cheese filling and white cake recipe-apparently it is really popular in the US (I never heard about that before). White cake usually used in rainbow cake recipe, as you should leave out the egg yolks, that creates a white sponge-so easier to colour. Anyway I share the recipe...maybe it is just my baking abilities....

I know the food colouring isn't the best for us...but you only have Birthday once a year!

Summer Field Rainbow Cake

Nyári Mezővel borított Szivárvány Torta

For the sponge

290gr plain flour

250g sugar

150g butter/fat

300ml milk

3 tsp baking powder

1tsp salt

1 tsp almond extract

5 egg whites

5 different food colouring

For the filling

150ml coconut milk

400g curd cheese

2 vanilla pod

60g dessicated coconut

85g cream cheese

100ml double cream

4 tbsp icing sugar

zest of 1 lemon

2 tbsp Amaretto

green food colouring

For the butterflies and flowers

50g Gum paste/Flower paste

food colouring of your choice

For the grass

80g dessicated coconut

green food colouring

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Mix the flour, sugar, butter,milk, baking powder, salt and almond extract. When it is all mixed add the egg whites and mix it again. Divide the mixture to 5 bowls and add the food colouring to each one. Line the cake tin with baking paper and bake each layer for 20 minutes or until the top springs back if you touch lightly with your fingertip.

In the meantime you can prepare the butterflies and flowers. Divide the flower paste to 3 parts. 

Colour two of them and roll them out on a flat surface. Using your butterfly and flower cutters cut out the shapes. Place the butterflies on a folded paper, so when they dry out and harden the wings will hold their shape.

For the cream mix together all the ingredients with an electric mixer.

You can start layering your cake. When all layers are covered with cream I added some green food colouring to the leftover, so when I cover the cake, the outside layer will be green (in case the dessicated coconut wouldn't cover all surface). 

For the grass simply put the dessicated coconut into a bowl and pour on top the green food colouring(as much as it turns the coconut to green) and start mixing with a silicon spoon to cover all shreds. When you are happy with the result, put the grass on top of the cream (the cream should stuck on the surface as it is wet).

Place on top the butterflies and the flowers....and you are ready. Keep the cake in the fridge.

And you can see the smile on her face when she blew out the candle.

Pancakes:Banana and Coconut, Curd cheese and Raisin, Summer fruit and Custard

My husband were moaning all the time, that I don't make pancakes for him.... Well he had a bad day today, so I decided to cheer him up...guess I managed it:) I always made up my batter as I go, but here is my friend's, Kabi's Kitchen batter recipe. I never measured the ingredients so now I tired his recipe and it is like mine:)well the end result. 

Pancakes or Crêpes 

(Banana and Coconut, Curd cheese and raisin, Summer Fruits and Custard)

For the Batter (makes about 20)

400g plain flour

3 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

500ml milk

250ml sparkling water of soda water

4 eggs

sunflower oil

Sift the flour in a mixing bowl and add the salt and sugar. Make a well in the middle and add the eggs and the milk(add the milk in two portion mixing well in between). Mix it well, and slowly add the sparkling water until it reach the consistency  of thicker single cream. 

Stir it up before you start to make them. Heat up the pan until very hot with some oil and make the first batch of the pancakes. Poor the mixture in the middle of the pan, and with circular motion of your wrist spread it evenly. When the edges start to brown flip it with a plastic spatula or a flat wooden spoon. In order to get out of the kitchen before midnight use at least 2 frying pan/pancake pan...I usually do it with three and create a small production line.

If your pancake is too thick add some sparkling water.

Fillings

Banana and Coconut filling (enough for 4-8 depending how much you put in)

So this first filling was the winner today, but I guess we never had pancakes with banana or coconut before, so it was new for us. Actually I just mixed these ingredients together not knowing what will be like. But now on it is on my pancake filling list of all times:)

Ingredients

250ml double cream

100g creamed coconut

100g dessicated coconut

 Banana (1 per pancake)

50g dark chocolate

100ml double cream

With an electric mixer whip the double cream to soft peaks. Add in the freshly grated creamed coconut and the dessicated coconut and mix it together.

Slice the bananas. 

Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl over boiling water in a pan. When it is melted add the double cream in small portions and mix well between each addition. Depending on the type of chocolate you use, maybe it will need less or a little more double cream, what you looking for is a thick chocolate sauce texture.

Put a layer of coconut cream to the pancakes and arrange the banana slices on top. Fold on the other half of the pancake then add some chocolate sauce on top. 

Curd Cheese and Raisin (Túrós mazsolás)

This filling is undoubtedly Hungarian, and my childhood favourite(mind you there wasn't an awful lot of choice back then: this filling, jam, or cocoa/cinnamon+sugar), but I sill love it.

Ingredients (for about 10 pancakes)
250g curd cheese *More on this topic at Tricks and Recommendations
150 ml double cream
zest of 1\2 lemon
3 tbsp icing sugar
50g raisins( preferably soaked in hot water for 10 minutes before using it)

Whip the double cream to hard peaks with an electric mixer. Add the curd cheese, lemon zest, icing sugar and raisins and mix it.
Well that is it. You can fill your pancakes and roll it or fold it:)

Summer Fruits and Custard

Ok I admit, I committed a sin: I used custard powder, instead making my own one. But I am human and I have a day job, so sometimes I have to make short cuts:)

Ingredients

selection of summer fruits: I used loganberries, strawberries and blackcurrants

custard powder

Clean your fruits and arrange on the pancake. Mix the custard powder with hot water and pour it on top of the pancake.

So these were my fillings for today but you can use anything else like: jam, nutella, nuts,  cinnamon/cocoa powder and sugar mix, lemon juice and sugar, fruits with whipped cream on the top, caramelised fruits with ice cream and coulis, etc.

Fanta Slice/Orange and Curd Cheese Cake

So another Hungarian cake. Although you won't find it in any cake shop, this is truly home baking. It isn't sweet, as the main purpose of the cake to cool you down at summer, when temperatures reaches over 30C...but that doesn't mean, you have to live in a warm country to have this. I made this cake for my workplace for my Birthday so I couldn't slice it up to have a nice picture. I also changed my own recipe as the original filling is with butter, but I try to eat as less calories as possible currently.

Fanta Slice

(Orange and Curd Cheese Cake)

For the sponge
3 eggs
pinch of salt
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp plain flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
50ml vegetable oil
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of baking powder

For the filling
250g curd cheese
200ml double cream
1 vanilla pod
3 tbsp icing sugar

For the top
3 oranges(optional, originally we don't have it on the top)
7dl Fanta orange
2-3 tbsp sugar
2 Puding powder-custard flavoured-in polish shop ask for Budyn smietankowym *more on this at Tricks and Recommendations

Preheat the oven to 180C and line a 19X25cm cake tin.

Separate the eggs then with a pinch of salt beat the egg whites until it form stiff peaks. While continuously mixing with an electrical mixer add the egg yolks, then the sugar and the oil(mixing between each addition). 

Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and the baking powder in two lots, carefully folding in the mixture.

 If you rush this step you can ruin your whole cake. Two typical mistakes: not folding thoroughly and you will have small lumps of flour in the ready sponge, or you mix it too vigorously and you break up the air bubbles in the mixture(that you created with the mixer) and it won't rise at all in the oven.

Bake for 15-20minutes, or until the inserted wooden skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool then take it out from the pan.

For the filling

Whip the double cream until stiff peaks then add the curd cheese, vanilla seeds and the icing sugar and mix it again. If you prefer the more sweet cake than the sourish refreshing one, add 3 more tablespoon of icing sugar into the mix.

For the top, peel the oranges, cut them half then slice them to 0.5cm pieces. 

Heat 5dl Fanta in a heavy based pan, with 2 tbsp sugar until boiling, meanwhile in a small bowl mix the Puding powder with the remaining of the Fanta to avoid lumps in the liquid later on. Pour the mixture into the fanta while stirring constantly. Within 1-2minutes it should reach a thick creamy, puding texture. Take off the heat and stirring occasionally to cool it down to room temperature just before to set.

To assemble

Line your tin with baking paper. The paper should be higher than the side of the cake by at least 3cm. When the cake will be ready you need that 3cm handle to lift the cake out from the pan.

Place your sponge in the tin then spoon over the curd cheese filling and slightly press it down with a spoon. We want to achieve a stiff, levelled filling with no gaps on the sides. If you leave some gaps on the sides the jelly will go all the way to the bottom.

Even if your sponge shrink a little and it isn't covering the bottom side to side, fill up the gap with the filling. Arrange the orange slices on top and pour your Fanta mixture on top.

Rest the cake in the fridge for at least 3hours preferably over night.

When it is ready, just lift the cake out of the tin, slice and serve.

Hungarian Summer Fruit and Curd Cheese Cake/Ribizlis Túró torta

My favourite cake EVER! No doubt about that and I can eat about 3 slices of these at a go. But actually I am allowed to eat as much as I can, as there is hardly any sugar in it. This cake is perfect at summer time, as it is rather sour and refreshing-typical Hungarian delicacy. 

Hungarian Summer Fruit and Curd Cheese Cake or

Ribizlis Túrótorta

For the sponge
3 eggs
pinch of salt
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp plain flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
50ml vegetable oil
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of baking powder

For the filling
250g curd cheese
200ml double cream
1 vanilla pod
3 tbsp icing sugar

For the top
350-400g forest fruit or other red berry mix (can be fresh, or frozen, but defrost before using it)
1 Greens Quick Red Jel or any other red cake cover jelly

Preheat the oven to 180C and line a 23cm spring form cake tin.

Separate the eggs then with a pinch of salt beat the egg whites until it form stiff peaks. While continuously mixing with an electrical mixer add the egg yolks, then the sugar and the oil(mixing between each addition). 

Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and the baking powder in two lots, carefully folding in the mixture.

 If you rush this step you can ruin your whole cake. Two typical mistakes: not folding thoroughly and you will have small lumps of flour in the ready sponge, or you mix it too vigorously and you break up the air bubbles in the mixture(that you created with the mixer) and it won't rise at all in the oven.

Bake for 15-20minutes, or until the inserted wooden skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool then take it out from the pan.

For the filling

Whip the double cream until stiff peaks then add the curd cheese, vanilla seeds and the icing sugar and mix it again. If you prefer the more sweet cake than the sourish refreshing one, add 3 more tablespoon of icing sugar into the mix.

Prepare your cake cover jelly according to the instructions on the packaging- it is all different for each brand so I won't detail here. Only thing is when it is ready leave it to cool, stirring time to time. The consistency we looking for when it starts to set slightly and almost room temperature.

To assemble

Put back your cooled sponge into the cake tin without any lining. If you use baking paper, you will see the creases later on in the cake filling...not nice.

Spoon over the curd cheese filling and slightly press it down with a spoon. We want to achieve a stiff, levelled filling with no gaps on the sides. If you leave some gaps on the sides the jelly will go all the way to the bottom.

Even if your sponge shrink a little and it isn't covering the bottom side to side, fill up the gap with the filling. Arrange the fruits on top and pour your cake cover on top.

Rest the cake in the fridge at least for 3hours preferably over night.

For serving slightly open the spring form, just to release slightly but not fully.

With a knife carefully run around the edges, releasing the curd cheese filling from the tin. Otherwise what could happen that you just open the tin and the curd cheese and the jelly still stuck to the tin, the cake top would crack. 

After that you can fully open your spring from side, release the cake and transfer it to a serving plate.

Chocolate cake with secret filling

I made this cake for my friend's birthday. Really I just wanted to try if I can create the secret filling effect or not, without the special tin. Clearly you don't need the tin as it is quite easy to do without it.

Chocolate cake with apricot and curd cheese filling

For the cake

175 g unsalted butter, softened

125 g soft light brown sugar

100 g caster sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 vanilla pod

175 g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

50 g cocoa

75 ml buttermilk

75 ml boiling water

For the filling

150 g Curd Cheese/ Quark * more on this at the Tricks and Recommendations

1 vanilla pod

1 tinned apricot

150 ml double cream 

2 tbsp icing sugar

For the chocolate genache

125 ml double cream 

100 g dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa solids)

15 g liquid glucose

25 g unsalted butter 

30 g dark chocolate for the shavings

For the sponge: preheat your oven to 180C.

Cream the butter with both of the sugars until pale and light. Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl from time to time.

Add the vanilla seeds.

Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa into the mixture and mix until almost combined. Add the buttermilk and boiling water and continue to mix until smooth.

Divide the mixture between 2X20cm sandwich tins. Bake on the middle shelf of your reheated oven for about 20 minutes or until well risen and a wooden skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cakes to rest in the ins for 2 minutes and then ease out and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

For the filling whip the double cream to soft peaks, add the curd cheese, icing sugar and vanilla seeds and mix it again.

1 cm form the rim of the cake (all around) make a 1 cm deep cut. Spoon out the excess middle part of the sponge, where the filling will go ( you can eat it with some extra filling if you have some leftovers:)). Spread the curd cheese filling to both hollow part until almost level. Add a layer of apricot to the bottom layer, then sandwich with the top layer.

For the ganache: Bring to boil the cream in a heavy based pan over medium heat. Take off the heat and add the chocolate and the liquid glucose and mix with a whisk to smooth cream. Add the butter gradually to the cream while whisking.

Pour the ganache on top of the cake and with a spatula spread it over the top and side of the cake.

For the top decoration either use a vegetable peeler to make shavings from a chocolate, scatter on top of the cake

or

if you want the long shavings as I did:

Melt the chocolate over boiling water in a a bowl. When it is melted, spread on a flat surface(ideally marble......jeah I know) or kitchen worktop, or any flat surface by a spatula in thin layer. Leave the chocolate to completely cool down and harden.

Ideally you would transfer your chocolate to the freezer for a few minutes to chill, unless you spread it on your work surface like me. When the chocolate is solid, using a long sharp knife start scraping the chocolate, placing the knife at an angle to the chocolate surface. Place the shavings on top of the cake and chill for a couple of hours.