Apricot Cheesecake (Aprikosen-käsekuchen)

A light and creamy cheesecake, topped with apricots, this Apricot Cheesecake is a classic in Germany and one of my favorite ways to use apricots in early summer.

Should you peel apricots before baking?

I don’t, but you 100% can. Traditionally this cake is made with preserved apricots which look nice even after baking; however I find that with fresh apricots they can sometimes look dried out if you peel them first.

What can I use instead of Quark?

Quark works best in this recipe and if you can’t find any at the store – you can make it at home with this Quark Recipe. I remade this recipe with 5% unsweetened greek yogurt and it works great! The flavor isn’t as good in my opinion but it still works.

Do I need to use a water bath?

No! German cheesecake is traditionally made without a water bath which gives it its’ characteristic texture. It is not bad if the cheesecake cracks. It is likely that the cake will crack slightly around the apricots because of the moisture that they release.

Additional Recipes to try:

• Quarkbällchen – Quark based Donut Holes
• Quark – German Cheese similar to Yogurt in taste and texture
• Käsekuchen – German baked Cheesecake

Tips for making Apricot cake

• Don’t over mix the crust. Because you are going to press it into the springform pan, it does not need to hold together as a solid piece of dough – it just needs to be fully mixed.
• Using an electric whisk to mix the filling is best because it will break up the quark better and ensure that there are no unmixed clumps.
• Don’t assemble until the oven is preheated. Even if the crust, filling, and apricots are ready, wait until the oven is hot to assemble.
• Knowing when it is done baking can be difficult but not impossible. It will still be very jiggle like jello but it shouldn’t be sloshy – it will set as it cools. It will also sink as it cools but don’t worry this doesn’t mean that it is underbaked.
• Allow the cheesecake to come to room temperature before putting it in the fridge to set fully.

Ingredients

• Butter: Melted butter is used in the crust of the cheesecake to add moisture and richness.
• Almond Extract: a hint of almond pairs so well with the apricot flavor and is added into the crust for a little nuttiness.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds flavor and enhances the sweetness of the filling.
• Egg: This recipe uses one egg yolk in the crust and two whole eggs in the filling.
• All purpose flour: All purpose flour is what most people consider to be “normal” flour it can be bleached or unbleached for the crust
• Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar is white standard sugar and adds sweetness to the crust and the filling.
• Quark: a type of German cheese, quark is a common addition to baked goods in Germany and is used here for the filling. If you can’t find any you can make your own quark. OR you can substitute it with 5% fat greek yogurt.
• Heavy Cream: Heavy Cream makes this cheesecake a little extra fluffy – heavy cream or heavy whipping cream will work.
• Lemon Zest: Lemon zest adds flavor and brightness to the cheesecake filling.
• Apricots: Fresh or preserved apricots will work for this recipe!

How to make German Apricot Cheesecake?

Make the crust

• Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center of the oven.
• In a medium bowl, add in the soft butter, egg yolk, almond extract, and sugar. Use a mixer to mix the ingredients together into a smooth mixture.
• Pour in the flour and use the fork to rub the flour into the mixture until it clumps together and no more flour is visible.
• Line a springform pan with a sheet of parchment paper. It doesn’t need to go up the sides but this cheesecake does have a tendency to stick so if you’re at all concerned, I recommend it.
• Pour the mixed crust into a springform pan. First press the crust into the sides of the pan and then into the bottom of the pan.
• Be sure that the corner where the sides and bottom meet isn’t too thick. You can do this by pressing the back of your pointer finger into the corner once the crust has been pressed into the whole pan.
• The crust doesn’t need to go more than 1/2″-1″ up the side.

Make the filling & bake

• In a large mixing bowl, add in the sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar. Then add in the quark, heavy cream, eggs, and vanilla. Use an electric mixer to whisk together until smooth and combined.
• Carefully pour the filling into the pressed crust.
• Cut the apricots in half and remove the pits. Place the apricot halves face down into the filling around the edge and then into the center.
• Bake the apricot cake for 60-70 minutes, rotating it after 30 minutes to ensure even baking.
• Once baked, remove the apricot cheesecake from the oven and leave to cool on a rack until it is room temperature. Then, move it to the fridge and allow it to set fully before removing the springform pan.

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