Carve a spoon into a 70-year-old dessert icon
While Brisbane and Gold Coast locals have been happily shoving slices of Goldsteins Bakery’s original baked cheesecake into their maws for decades, the signature dessert didn’t always carry the celebrated crown. In fact, when Julius and Paula Goldstein first arrived in Australia from Europe in 1939 and set up The Busy Bee bakery on Roma Street, their customers would often voice concerns that the cheesecakes had gone off, due to their traditionally sour taste. But the Goldsteins stayed true to their roots and now, as the second and third generations celebrate 70 years in business, the artisan bakers are sharing their original cheesecake recipe with their loyal customers. The Goldsteins traditionally make their own quark, but you can source it locally from Barambah Organics or Paris Creek Farm. Follow in the bakers’ floury footsteps and try your hand crafting this European indulgence this weekend.
INGREDIENTS
Shortbread crust
75 g sugar
150 g butter
225 g self-raising flour
2 eggs
Cake filling
300 g bakers’ quark
30 g cornflour
10 g flour
1/2 cup milk
75 g sugar
1 lemon, zest and juice
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
75 g butter
TO MAKE
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
To make the shortbread, place the sugar, butter and half the self-raising flour into a large bowl. Beat until well combined. Crack the eggs into the bowl and mix well, then add the remaining flour and beat until smooth. Allow the shortbread mixture to rest on a bench for 10–15 minutes.
Next, prepare a clean, flat surface and roll out the dough to about 5 mm thick. Place in a greased cake tin with deep sides, and trim the top of the shortbread crust to fit.
Next, combine the quark, cornflour, flour, milk, sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl and beat until well combined. Add eggs one at a time to ensure the mixture remains smooth. Pour in the juice of one lemon and the vanilla extract, then add small spoonfuls of butter at a time, mixing well between each new addition.
Pour the smooth cheesecake mixture into the prepared shortbread shell. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the cake is golden around the edges and slightly moist in the middle.
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