natural and organic baking has taken center stage.
I think every cheesecake in general should have lemon juice and even zest in the filling because it adds such a beautiful dimension and freshness to it that I can’t imagine a cheesecake without a hint of lemon. Not to overpower, but to enhance the flavor! If you have never tried it I really encourage you to.
AMERICAN VS. EUROPEAN CHEESECAKES
After some research I found out the poppy seed cheesecake is actually originating from Germany where it’s called Mohn Käsekuchen. The cheesecake recipes in Europe are quite different than in the USA. In Europe we make the crust from shortcrust instead of digestive biscuits or graham crackers that you can’t even find here. The filling is made from a type quark or cottage cheese, but from what I hear it’s hard to find the same one in the USA
HOW TO MAKE POPPY SEED LEMON CHEESECAKE CRUMBLE BARS
1. Two layers of crumble dough – the dough on the top and bottom is the same, with the difference that we actually freeze half of it and then grate it over the cheesecake.
2. Poppy seed filling – this is a cooked poppy seed filling with milk and egg thickened with starch. The poppy seeds should be soaked or cooked before baking to soften the outer hard shell and release more flavor. That’s why we cook the filling before baking it.
3. Lemon cheesecake filling – with added lemon for amazing tanginess and flavor. And for the cream cheese I suggest using Philadephia.