Quark Cake with Grapes

Ingredients

• 250 g flour
• 125 g cold butter
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 egg
• baking paper (for blind baking)
• 6 sheets white gelatin
• 2 egg yolks
• 75 g sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp grated orange zest
• 150 ml white wine (Gewürztraminer or Muskateller)
• 200 g quark
• 200 g whipping cream
• 500 g grapes (yellow and blue)
• powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Sift flour onto a work surface, mix with sugar and salt, then create a well in the center. Cut cold butter into small pieces and distribute around the well; add egg, about 30 ml lukewarm water, and use a knife to cut through all ingredients until small dough crumbs form. Quickly knead with hands into a dough, shape into a ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

2. 2.

   Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to match the pan size, line the greased pan with it while shaping an edge. Cut baking paper to fit the pan, lay it over the dough, and weigh it down with legumes. Blind bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (middle rack) for 10–12 minutes. Remove, let cool, then take out the legumes and paper.

3. 3.

   Soak gelatin in cold water. Whisk egg yolks with 50 g sugar, lemon juice, and wine over a double boiler into a fluffy cream.

4. 4.

   Gently melt the gelatin at low heat in a pot until liquid. Stir this warm gelatin solution into the wine cream under the double boiler, then fold in orange zest and quark. Chill for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

5. 5.

   When the mixture starts to set, whip cream stiffly and fold it into the custard.

6. 6.

   Spread half of the custard over the base and smooth it with a spatula (use a ring around the base).

7. 7.

   Wash grapes, remove stems, and pat dry carefully. Place about two-thirds of the berries on top of the custard, then spread the remaining custard over them. Chill the cake for 3 hours.

8. 8.

   Before serving, scatter leftover grapes over the cake and dust with powdered sugar.