Flavours of Spain, Part 8: Quesada

“Quesada” is the Spanish version of cheesecake. It’s nothing similar to the “Cream Cheese” non-baked American Cheesecake… it’s more like the German Käsekuchen.

Actually, when I was a child, I used to hate “Quesada”… I found it boring, sticky and too thick!!! However, at that time I didn’t like coffee either, and look at me now… a coffee-addict and Quesada lover!!! Who would have known….

So, today I’m baking Quesada in the form of a cupcake… and to make it less boring (yep, I love Quesada now… but I still think it’s quite boring as a dessert and not very good-looking), I’m filling them with apple puree and quark cheese. They’re DELICIOUS!!!!


I used my Mum’s recipe once again.

Ingredients:
(My mum uses a normal sized glass to measure the quantities, so I do the same. I used a glass of around 225ml.)

• 1 glass of flour
• 1,5 glasses of sugar
• 2 glasses of milk
• 1 pot of yoghourt
• 3 wedges of cheese (like those from the Laughing Cow)
• 3 eggs
• 1 small carton of single cream

The recipe couldn’t be easier: Pre-heat the oven (180C). Mix all the ingredients well and fill the cupcake cases with this mixture. You’ll have to fill them a bit more than ¾, as this batter won’t rise... well... it’ll rise in the oven, but then It’ll sink, guaranteed!! Put them in the oven and lower the temperature to 150C. Bake for a looooong time (around one hour). Check with a skewer: skewer clean = READY!

Mine took more than an hour to be ready. Then I left them to cool in the oven. And you’ll say: OMG!!!! They’ve sunk in the centre, what have I done wrong??? The answer is: NOTHING! Spanish cheesecake ALWAYS sinks in the center… that’s the “characteristic” thing about it… so my cupcakes had to be the same, obviously


The good thing about the cupcakes sinking is that you can fill them with any “liquid” you like. In my case, I did some apple puree (boiled apples and mixed them with sugar).


Then I whisked some Quark cheese (I didn’t add sugar because I love its taste, but you can always add some) and decorated the cupcakes with my piping bag.














Warning: Eat them with a spoon and ON a plate… if you don’t want a massive Apple puree stain on your carpet!! haha
I hope you try this recipe, it’s delicious!! And if you don’t like apple puree, you can always use a different sauce: lemon curd, jam, whipped cream, custard…
More coming soon!

xxx

PS: If you see that I don’t post cupcakes now so often, it doesn’t mean that I’ve ran out of ideas… but that I have loads of lectures at the University starting this week and I don’t have as much time to bake as I had during the previous weeks… but… lectures won’t stop me from baking, that’s for sure!!!