Christmas cake with cottage cheese (Quarkstollen)
6 servings
120 minutes
Christmas cake with cottage cheese, known as Quarkstollen, is one of the most popular German festive desserts. Its history traces back to traditional Christmas stollens but is lighter and more tender due to the cottage cheese. This aromatic cake combines the rich flavor of butter with the sweetness of raisins, almonds, and candied fruits, along with a subtle citrus note from lemon. Before serving, it is generously dusted with powdered sugar for a snowy charm. Quarkstollen is perfect for cozy winter evenings and is enjoyed with a cup of hot tea or fragrant mulled wine. A unique feature of this cake is that it needs to 'mature' for several weeks to fully develop its flavors, turning it into a true Christmas masterpiece.
1
Soak the raisins in rum overnight.
- Rum: 200 ml
- Light raisins: 250 g
2
Beat soft butter (250 grams) with sugar, add eggs and continue beating. Add cottage cheese, 1 tablespoon of vanilla sugar, lemon juice, and zest, and keep beating. Mix flour with baking powder, sift over the butter-egg-cottage cheese mixture, and knead the dough. First, fold in the almonds, then the candied fruits, and finally the raisins lightly dusted with flour. There are quite a few additions, so you'll need to put in some effort to incorporate them.
- Butter: 250 g
- Sugar: 250 g
- Chicken egg: 2 pieces
- Soft cottage cheese: 250 g
- Lemon: 1 piece
- Wheat flour: 600 g
- Baking powder: 15 g
- Chopped almonds: 200 g
- Candied orange peel: 50 g
- Candied lemon: 50 g
- Light raisins: 250 g
3
Divide the dough into 2 parts, shape 2 oval loaves, and form them into stollen (the stollen should look like a swaddled baby).
4
Bake for about an hour at 180 degrees. While still warm, generously brush the stollen with 100 grams of melted butter and dust with a thick layer of powdered sugar.
- Butter: 250 g
5
Let it cool, wrap in foil or parchment, and leave to 'mature' for 3 weeks in a cool place.