Sweet casserole with bread roll, quark and peaches Recipe
Sweet casserole with bread roll, quark and peaches is a dessert that’s a bit like a cross between cheesecake and bread pudding. In Poland, dishes like this often appear as an afternoon snack or sweet supper, especially when there’s some stale bread and a piece of quark left over. The peaches add pleasant fruity sweetness and juiciness.
This sweet casserole combines the flavour of cheesecake, bread pudding and a classic Polish afternoon snack made from stale rolls soaked in milk. The quark gives a pleasant, slightly grainy creaminess, while the peaches in syrup bring juiciness and a gently “compote-like” aroma that many people associate with home cooking from the 1990s. The coconut on top forms a crunchy, fragrant crust that contrasts beautifully with the soft centre.
Chef's tips
Soak the rolls only until they are soft but not completely mushy – always gently squeeze out the excess milk, otherwise the casserole may turn out too wet. It’s best to mash or briefly blend the quark beforehand so there are no large lumps; if it’s very dry, you can add 1–2 tablespoons of milk or cream. Make sure not to overbake the dessert – when the centre wobbles slightly when you move the dish but is no longer liquid, that’s the perfect moment to take it out of the oven.
How to serve
It tastes best slightly cooled, with a spoonful of thick plain yogurt or a dollop of cream, served with an afternoon milky coffee. It’s perfect as a sweet supper on a lazy, rainy evening or as dessert after Sunday lunch when there’s some bread left in the bread bin. For children you can serve it with a mug of cocoa, and for adults with a small glass of homemade egg liqueur.
Ingredients
- wheat bread roll they can be stale - 3 pieces
- semi-fat quark ground or well mashed - 400 g
- peaches in syrup weight after draining - 400 g
- milk for soaking the rolls - 300 ml
- egg size M - 3 pieces
- sugar for the cheese mixture - 80 g
- vanillin sugar - 1 teaspoon
- butter for greasing the dish and the coconut flakes - 20 g
- desiccated coconut for sprinkling on top - 20 g
- breadcrumbs for sprinkling the dish - 1 tablespoon
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat). Grease a heatproof dish of about 2 litres capacity with butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs so the casserole doesn’t stick.
- Cut the rolls into thin slices or cubes. Place them in a bowl and pour over the milk. Set aside for 5–10 minutes until they are well soaked, then gently squeeze out the excess milk with your hand.
- Drain the peaches from the syrup and cut into medium-sized pieces.
- In a large bowl, mix the quark with the sugar and vanillin sugar. Add the eggs and mash thoroughly with a fork or briefly blend with a mixer until the mixture is fairly smooth.
- Add the soaked rolls to the cheese mixture and gently mix so that the bread is evenly distributed.
- Transfer half of the mixture to the prepared dish and level the surface. Spread half of the peaches on top.
- Spoon the remaining cheese-and-bread mixture over the fruit and level again. Arrange the remaining peach pieces on top, pressing them lightly into the mixture.
- In a small saucepan, melt 10 g of butter, mix with the desiccated coconut and sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the cheese mixture is set (the centre should not be liquid when you gently shake the dish).
- After removing from the oven, leave the casserole to rest for at least 10 minutes. You can serve it warm or after it has completely cooled.
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat individual portions gently in the oven or microwave, or eat cold like a cheesecake-style dessert.
