Flat Sernik

• Today is the 7th anniversary of my first post on this blog! 
• This is my 490th post.
• I have enjoyed doing this so much.
• I still have lots of recipes old and new to try out.
• My friends and relative keep giving me ideas and recipes – long may that continue.
• This recipe is a cross between old and new.
• I found this recipe in an old book and adapted it slightly.
• It is a good recipe for when you do not have a large quantity of  cheese.
• The sernik – baked cheese cake, is made in a rectangular baking tray.
• It is really a placek – flat cake.
• Shortcrust pastry – kruche ciasto – is used as a base.
• Best to use a rich buttery shortcrust

Ingredients

• Shortcrust  pastry  made from around 250 -300g flour
• *
• 300g -350g yoghurt cheese or cream cheese
• 4 egg yolks
• 90g granulated sugar
• 30g ground almonds
• Fine grated zest of 1 lemon
• 50g sultanas
• 50g mixed chopped peel

Method

• Make enough pastry for a 18 x 28cm baking tray.
• Pre-heat oven to GM6 – 200°C
• Grease the baking tray.
• Roll out the pastry thinly to cover the base of the tin and raise up the sides.
• Crimp the sides to form an even pattern.
• Prick the surface with a fork.
• Cover the base with foil and baking beans.
• Bake for 10 – 15 minutes.
• Remove the beans and foil and bake again for 8-9minutes.
• Leave to go cold completely.
• *
• Pre-heat the oven to GM3 – 160°C.
• *
• Mix all cheese, yolks, sugar, almonds and lemon zest together.
• Stir in the sultanas and peel.
• Spread the filling over the pastry to fill the “hollow”.
• Bake for 50 – 55 minutes.
• Turn off the oven.
• Leave in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes.
• *
• Cut into rectangles to serve.

Served on Crown Staffordshire Tea Plate – Design not known.

Optional but not tried – orange zest rather than lemon zest.