Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Step 1: Prepare and preheat. Grease the bottom of the springform (26 cm). Preheat oven to 180 °C (upper/lower heat) or 160 °C (convection).
- Step 2: Make and pre-bake the crumb base. In a bowl, mix flour with baking powder. Add sugar, vanilla sugar, soft butter, and the egg. Use a mixer with dough hooks to mix until crumbs form. Press the crumbs firmly into the prepared springform bottom using a spoon or your hands to form a smooth base. Place the form on a rack in the lower third of the preheated oven. Pre-bake for approx. 20 minutes. Remove the pre-baked base from the oven and let it cool slightly on a cake rack.
- Step 3: Prepare apple-quark filling and bake the cake. Peel and quarter the apples, remove the core. Cut the apple quarters into approx. 1 cm thick slices. Put the apple slices into a bowl and immediately mix with lemon juice to prevent browning. In another, larger bowl, combine all ingredients for the quark filling: quark, cream, sugar, vanilla sugar, pudding powder, and the 3 eggs. Use the mixer with dough hooks to mix everything until a smooth, creamy mass is formed. Pour the quark filling onto the pre-baked crumb base in the springform and smooth it out. Arrange the apple slices fan-like or as desired on top of the quark filling. Place the cake back on the rack in the lower third of the oven. Bake for approx. 60 minutes. You can check if the filling is set with a skewer (it can still wobble a little, as the quark filling firms up when cooling).
- Step 4: The glossy finish – apricoting. Take the cake out of the oven and place it on a cake rack. Briefly heat the apricot spread in a small pot until it is liquid. Use a pastry brush to carefully brush the warm apple slices with the heated spread. This gives them a beautiful shine and a fine fruity sweetness.
- Step 5: Allow to cool completely. Loosen the springform rim, but do not remove it yet! Let the cake cool completely in the form on the cake rack. Quark cakes need time to become firm. Only when the cake is completely cold (preferably overnight or for several hours in the refrigerator), remove the rim completely.
- Step 6: Serve and enjoy. If you like, you can dust the cold cake with some powdered sugar. Cut it into slices and enjoy it plain or with a dollop of whipped cream. A dream!
Notes
For best results, use cold quark directly from the fridge. If your quark is very liquid, you can drain it overnight in a sieve lined with paper towels. Do not overmix the quark filling, mix just until combined to prevent cracking during baking. It is crucial to let the cake cool completely for the quark filling to set properly (ideally overnight or for several hours in the fridge). The butter for the crumbs should be soft but not liquid for best results. The cake must be stored in the refrigerator due to the quark and cream filling. Covered well, it keeps for 3-4 days.