Here is an easy-to-follow recipe for the world’s best German gooseberry cheesecake with meringue topping.
It is made up of tender shortcrust pastry, a fruity layer of stewed gooseberries, a cheesecake filling that includes quark among other ingredients, and finished off with a tempting caramel-sweet meringue topping. This recipe is a must-have for cheesecake lovers!
This cheesecake with gooseberries is not only creamy, fruity, and easy to make, but it is also super versatile and works well with other fruits such as cherries or rhubarb. It will definitely find a permanent place in your recipe repertoire.
Last night, before going to bed, I spontaneously baked this gooseberry cake with fresh gooseberries from the bush on our balcony.
My husband tried in vain to discourage me from making the cake since he is not a fan of cheesecake and gooseberries. That’s why whenever I bake a cheesecake or a gooseberry cake, he always tries just a very small piece, following the motto: “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”
Nevertheless, I baked the cake because I wanted to use up the ripe gooseberries. Besides, I actually only wanted to keep a quarter of the cake and give away the rest to, among others, our neighbor Mr. Lang and his wife, who cannot bake anymore since they are in their mid-80s. However, they are always happy and thankful whenever we bring them a piece of cake.
But when my husband tasted the cake, he said, “This is the best gooseberry cake I’ve ever tasted. It’s not going anywhere; it stays at home because it tastes fantastic.” So, it tastes fantastic, doesn’t it?! Anyway, we kept half of the cake and gave away the rest.
The sweet and sour taste of the pre-stewed gooseberries harmonizes perfectly with the creamy cheesecake filling and the tender shortcrust pastry. Convince yourself and enjoy this delicious cake!”
Ingredients used to make the shortcrust pastry
- 200 g (7 oz/ 1 2/3 cup) plain flour/ all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- 65 g (2.3 oz) butter, room temperature
- 65 g (2.3 oz/ about 1/3 cup) sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste / vanilla extract (alternatively, you can also use 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar, just reduce the amount of regular sugar by 2 tablespoons if you’re using vanilla sugar).
For the cheesecake filling
- 300 g (10.6 oz) sour cream
- 200 ml (about 6.8 fl.oz/ ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon) whipping cream (fresh cream)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 135 g (4.8 oz/ 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) butter, soft
- 40 g (1.4 oz/ ⅓ cup) cornstarch (cornflour)
- 130 g (about 4.6 oz/ 2/3 cup) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste / vanilla extract (alternatively, you can also use 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar, just reduce the amount of regular sugar by 2 tablespoons if you’re using vanilla sugar).
- 500 g (17.6 oz) quark, room temperature
*If you don’t have access to quark, you can use alternatives such as cream cheese, sour cream, or Greek yogurt. If you want you can also use vegetable oil instead of butter to make the cheesecake filling.
!! All the cheesecake filling ingredients MUST be at room temperature!!
For the stewed gooseberries
- Approx. 350 g (0.77 lbs) gooseberries, washed and stems and brown appendage removed
- 50 g (1.8 oz/ ¼ cup) sugar
- 20 g (0.7 oz/ 2 ½ tablespoons) cornstarch (cornflour)
- Approx. 1 tablespoon of water
You’ll also need
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
How to make cheesecake with gooseberry compote
Make the shortcrust pastry
Start off by lining a 26 – cm (10.2 inches) spring form cake tin with a parchment paper at the bottom and grease the sides with butter.
In a bowl combine the egg, vanilla, sugar, butter, flour, and baking powder. Using your hands mix all the ingredients together to form a firm dough.
Crumble the pastry into the prepared cake tin. Using your hands dusted with flour, press the cake base until the bottom of the cake tin is covered.
Make the dough a bit high on the sides as well and set aside. Then preheat the oven to 180°C (356 °F) with both up and low heat (Convection bake function: 160 °C (320 °F)).
How to make stewed gooseberries
Next, combine the freshly washed gooseberries and sugar in a saucepan. Cover and stew over low heat for about 10 minutes.
- If you haven’t freshly washed the gooseberries, just add a tablespoon of water to the pot. To avoid the gooseberries from burning.
Meanwhile, combine cornstarch and a tablespoon of water in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan.
Keep stirring constantly until the compote thickens. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for about 2 minutes. Then spread the gooseberry compote over the shortcrust pastry base.
Make the cheesecake filling with quark and bake
Next, separate the eggs into two separate bowls. Put the bowl with egg whites in the fridge for later.
Add sugar, quark, sour cream, cornflour (cornstarch), whipping cream, vanilla, and butter to the bowl with egg yolks. Whisk to a smooth cream. Pour cheesecake filling evenly over the stewed gooseberry layer.
Bake for 60 minutes. About 10 minutes before the end of the baking time whip the egg whites. Simply take the egg whites out of the fridge; add a pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons of icing sugar and whip until light and fluffy. Spread the meringue topping over the cake.
Put the cheesecake back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until the me meringue is pale golden. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, (preferably overnight). Enjoy!
More German gooseberry baked goodies
German Gooseberry Cheesecake With Meringue Topping
Equipment
- 26 cm(10 inch) spring-form (or cake tin with removable base)
Ingredients
for the cake base
- 200 g (7.1 oz/ 1 2/3 cups) plain flour/ all purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- 65 g (2.3 oz/ ¼ cup) butter soft
- 65 g (2.3 oz/ about 1/3cup) sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste (vanilla extract (alternatively, you can also use 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar, just reduce the amount of regular sugar by 2 tablespoons if you’re using vanilla sugar).)
For the stewed gooseberries
- ca. 350 g (0.77 lbs) gooseberries washed and stems and brown appendage removed
- 50 g (1.8 oz/ ¼ cup) sugar
- 20 g (0.7 oz/ 2 ½ tablespoons) cornstarch (cornflour)
- about 1 tablespoon water
For the cheesecake filling with quark
- 300 g (10.6 oz) sour cream room temperature
- 200 (about 6.8 fl.oz/ ¾cup + 1 tablespoon) whipping cream (fresh cream), room temperature
- 3 medium eggs Germany, large US room temperature
- 500 g (17.6 oz) quark room temperature, SEE NOTES
- 135 g (4.8 oz/ 1/2 cup + 1tablespoon) butter soft
- 40 g (1.4 oz/ ⅓ cup) cornstarch (cornflour)
- 130 130 g (about 4.6 oz/ 2/3cup) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract (alternatively, you can also use 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar, just reduce the amount of regular sugar by 2 tablespoons if you’re using vanilla sugar).
You'll also need
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons Powdered sugar (icing sugar)
Instructions
Make the shortcrust pastry
- Start off by lining a 26 – cm (10.2 inches) spring form cake tin with a parchment paper at the bottom and grease the sides with butter. In a bowl combine the egg, vanilla, sugar, butter, flour, and baking powder. Using your hands mix all the ingredients together to form a firm dough.
- Crumble the pastry into the prepared cake tin. Using your hands dusted with flour, press the cake base until the bottom of the cake tin is covered. Make the dough a bit high on the sides as well and set aside.
- Next, preheat the oven to 180°C (356 °F) with both up and low heat (Convection bake function: 160 °C (320 °F)).
How to make stewed gooseberries
- Combine the freshly washed gooseberries and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and stew over low heat for about 10 minutes. If you haven't freshly washed the gooseberries, just add a tablespoon of water to the pot. To avoid the gooseberries from burning.
- Meanwhile, combine cornstarch and a tablespoon of water in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan. Keep stirring constantly until the compote thickens.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for about 2 minutes. Then spread the gooseberry compote over the shortcrust pastry base.
Make cheesecake filling with quark and bake
- Separate the eggs into two separate bowls. Put the bowl with egg whites in the fridge for later.
- Add sugar, quark, sour cream, cornflour (cornstarch), whipping cream, vanilla, and butter to the bowl with egg yolks. Whisk to a smooth cream. Pour cheesecake filling evenly over the stewed gooseberry layer.
- Bake for 60 minutes. About 10 minutes before the end of the baking time whip the egg whites. Simply take the egg whites out of the fridge, add a pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons of icing sugar and whip until light and fluffy. Spread the meringue topping over the cake.
- Put the cheesecake back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until the me meringue is pale golden. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, (preferably overnight). Enjoy!
Notes
- German cheesecakes are normally made with quark (a low fat and low calorie firm and creamy dairy product, of the same texture as Greek yogurt). But if you don’t have access to quark, you can use alternatives such as cream cheese, sour cream, or Greek yogurt. If you want you can also use vegetable oil instead of butter to make the cheesecake filling.
- !! All the cheesecake filling ingredients MUST be at room temperature!!
- You don’t have gooseberries? Replace them with peaches or rhubarb or Just leave them out.
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