Munich Cheesecake
Submitted by brianstg
Munich cheesecake with a shortcrust base, vanilla bean cream cheese filling, poppy seed-raisin layer, and brown sugar streusel topping broiled until crisp.
YIELD
1 cakePREP
30 minCOOK
70 minREADY
1 hrsThis three-layered German-style cheesecake is nothing like the dense New York slice you might be picturing. A buttery shortcrust base, a light vanilla bean cream cheese filling, and a thick poppy seed and golden raisin layer all crowned with a broiled brown sugar streusel.
Real vanilla bean makes a noticeable difference here. Scraping those tiny seeds directly into the cream cheese and the poppy seed filling gives a deeper, more complex vanilla than extract alone. If you have the beans, use them. The specks of vanilla seed throughout the filling look gorgeous too.
The poppy seed layer is the heart of this cake. Ground poppy seeds cooked with milk, lemon zest, raisins, and sugar become a thick, jam-like spread with an earthy, nutty flavor that’s distinctly Central European. Let it cool completely before spreading or it will melt the cream cheese layer underneath.
Chef Tips
- Bake the shortcrust base fully before adding the filling. An underbaked crust turns soggy under the wet cream cheese layer and never recovers.
- Grind the poppy seeds in a blender or food processor to a coarse powder, not a fine paste. You want some texture in the finished layer.
- Watch the broiler like a hawk during the streusel step. Three minutes at 6 inches is the target, but every broiler runs differently. The crumbs go from golden to burnt in seconds.
- Bring the cheesecake to room temperature before serving. Cold dulls the vanilla and poppy seed flavors.
Variations
- Lemon poppy seed version: Skip the raisins and double the lemon zest in the poppy seed layer for a brighter, more citrus-forward cake.
- Walnut streusel: Add chopped walnuts to the streusel topping for extra crunch and a deeper nutty flavor that pairs well with the poppy seeds.
Ingredients
Directions
In a mixing bowl, sift together 1 cup flour, 3 tbsp sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
With a pastry blender cut in ½ cup butter to make a mealy mixture.
With a fork mix in 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten.
Press the dough evenly over the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan and bake the pastry in a moderate (350 F) oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Set the pan on a wire rack and let cool.
In a mixing bowl, beat 12 ounces of soft cream cheese until fluffy.
Scrape the seeds from 1 split vanilla bean [a dash of vanilla extract will do just fine] into the cheese and add ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Beat 2 eggs with ½ cup sugar until they are thick and lemon colored.
Stir them into the cheese mixture, beating it until smooth.
Spread the mixture over the pastry in the pan and bake in a 350℉ (180℃) oven for 20 mintutes [or until it begins to golden].
Let cool on a wire rack.
Whirl poppy seeds in a blender or foor processor until they are reduced to a course powder.
Measure 1 cup into a saucepan.
Stir in ¾ cup each of plumped golden raisins and sugar, ½ cup of milk, the grated peel of one large lemon, and the seeds of 1 vanilla bean [again, a dash of vanilla extract is fine].
Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes, or until it is thick but easy to spread.
Let the mixture cool thoroughly and spread it over the cooled cheesecake.
Mix together 6 tbsp of flour, 6 tbsp of brown sugar, and cut in ¼ cup of butter with a pastry blender to make coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle the crumbs over the poppy seed layer.
Set the cheesecake under a broiler about 6 inches from the heat and broil for 3 minutes, or until the streusel topping is browned and crisp.
Cool the cheesecake completely.
It can be chilled, but let it return to room temperature before serving.
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