Yeast Cake with Cheese and Crumble Topping Recipe
Fluffy yeast cake with a layer of sweet curd cheese and crunchy crumble is something between a cheese sheet cake and a bakery-style sweet bun. In many Polish homes this cake appears on Saturday and is sliced on Sunday to go with morning coffee. It smells of butter, vanilla and a home where someone had time to wait for the dough to rise.
Yeast cake with cheese and crumble topping is something between a big homemade sweet bun and a bakery-style cheese sheet cake – fluffy, fragrant with butter and vanilla. The sweet, creamy curd cheese and crunchy crumble form a layer that makes it hard to stop at just one slice. This cake carries the rhythm of Saturday baking: rising, rising again and slowly cooling on the kitchen counter.
Chef's tips
The milk for the starter must be only slightly warm – too hot and it will kill the yeast and the dough won’t rise. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic and springs back when pressed with a finger – that’s a sign the gluten has developed well. After spreading it in the tin, give it a little more time to rise, otherwise it may crack in the oven and turn out dense.
How to serve
It’s best on the day it’s baked, slightly warm, served for Sunday breakfast with a mug of coffee with milk or cocoa. It also works perfectly as a sweet addition to afternoon coffee when friends drop by “for a moment” after a walk. For a trip out of town, cut it into larger rectangles – it goes perfectly with a thermos of tea.
Ingredients
- wheat flour - 500 g
- milk - 250 ml
- yeast - 25 g
- sugar - 80 g
- egg - 2 piece
- butter - 80 g
- salt - 0.5 teaspoons
- curd cheese - 400 g
- icing sugar - 60 g
- egg yolk - 1 piece
- vanillin sugar - 8 g
- wheat flour - 80 g
- sugar - 50 g
- butter - 50 g
Preparation
- Gently warm the milk – it should be warm but not hot (when you dip a finger in, it should feel pleasantly warm). Crumble the yeast into a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour and pour in some of the warm milk. Mix until smooth and set aside for 10–15 minutes until foam appears on the surface.
- Put the remaining flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Add the risen yeast starter, eggs and the rest of the milk. Start kneading the dough by hand or with a mixer fitted with a dough hook for about 5 minutes, until the ingredients come together.
- Pour in the melted, cooled butter and knead for another 5–7 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic and starts to come away from your hand and the sides of the bowl.
- Cover the bowl with the dough with a tea towel and leave in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, until it doubles in volume.
- Meanwhile, prepare the cheese layer: mash the curd cheese with a fork or blend briefly, add the icing sugar, egg yolk and vanillin sugar. Mix to a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Prepare the crumble: put the flour and sugar into a bowl, add cold butter cut into cubes. Rub with your fingers until you get lumps resembling wet sand. Place the crumble in the fridge.
- Line a baking tin about 25×35 cm with baking paper. Briefly knead the risen dough, transfer it to the tin and stretch it out with your fingers into an even layer. Cover with a tea towel and leave for 20 minutes to rise again.
- Spread the cheese mixture over the risen dough in an even layer, leaving a small margin at the edges. Sprinkle the chilled crumble all over the top.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, top and bottom heat. Put the cake in and bake for about 30–35 minutes, until the crumble is nicely golden and the edges of the cake slightly pull away from the tin.
- Remove the baked cake from the oven and leave to cool completely before slicing – the cheese layer will set and the pieces will be neat.
Storage
Leftover yeast cake can be stored at room temperature, wrapped in a cloth and placed in a container, for 1–2 days. It also freezes well: cut into portions, wrap tightly and freeze; thaw at room temperature and, if you like, warm briefly in a low oven.
