This cheesecake maracuya or passion fruit cheesecake is an incredibly flavorful and refreshing cake perfect for any occasion.
I've started the month on Where Is My Spoon with one of my favorite cakes ever: The Best Carrot Coconut Cake. I will continue with many other favorite cakes, today's Cheesecake Maracuya, followed by several other cakes, like the Raspberry Lemon Curd Cake or the Raffaello Cake.
All of them are at the top of my list when it comes to cakes, my absolute favorites, cakes I have been baking dozens and dozens of times during the last 10 years or so. And I should not forget this amazing Mango Mousse Cake.
Recipe ingredients
What is quark?
Quark is a very common ingredient used in cooking and baking in Germany. According to Wikipedia, “Quark (the link opens in a new tab) or quarg is a type of fresh dairy product made by warming soured milk until the desired amount of curdling is met and then straining it. It can be classified as fresh acid-set cheese. Traditional quark is made without rennet. It is soft, white, and unaged and usually has no salt added.”
Quark is not only common in Germany, but also pretty much all over Europe, in all German-speaking European countries, but also in Poland and Russia.
In Germany, we can buy low-fat quark, which has very little fat, quark with 20% fat, or quark with 40% fat. I use low-fat quark in most of the cake recipes made with quark; I use it often in this German Egg Salad.
I use it for many other bread spreads; I make desserts with quark, something like this Strawberry Mascarpone Dessert or this amazing Strawberry Tiramisu.
How to replace quark in recipes?
- If quark isn't readily available in your area, there are ways to substitute it in a satisfactory manner. Similar products are cream cheese, Greek yogurt, fromage frais cottage, or farmer's cheese.
- Try to use a product that has a similar fat content to the type of quark indicated in a recipe.
- So, for instance, as I use low-fat quark in this recipe for the cheesecake maracuya, I would replace that with a smooth farmer's cheese (which is normally pretty low-fat) or lower-fat cream cheese.
- However, that is not mandatory, this kind of no-bake desserts are pretty versatile, so if you use full-fat cream cheese or even mascarpone the cake will still taste great, but it will be more calorie-laden, so the choice is yours.
- Another wonderful way of replacing the quark in this recipe (or another no-bake cheesecake with quark) is with a mixture of full-fat cream cheese and yogurt. I use that combination for the Strawberry Yogurt Cheesecake recipe, and I love it.
- When making a bread spread, for instance, I would definitely go for cottage or farmer's cheese when unable to find quark.
Heavy cream:
- Otherwise, you will need double or heavy cream for the filling. Or whipping cream, whatever it is called in your part of the world.
Gelatin:
- For very detailed instructions on working with gelatin, have a look at this post: No-Bake Raspberry Cheesecake.
- I use Dr. Oetker's gelatine sheets (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab), but a similar product should be fine. Just make sure you follow the packet's instructions, especially if they are different than mine.
Passion fruit or maracuya juice:
- I use passion fruit or maracuya juice to make this cake, not fresh passion fruit. I don't normally drink this juice or any other kind of juice, but I find the juice wonderful here, it has a very particular and very aromatic taste.
Glaze:
- To make the glaze, you will need more juice and the German Dr. Oetker clear glaze (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) for the top of the cake. Use a similar kind of jelly powder, which will stiffen the glaze if Dr. Oetker's glaze is not available.
How to make maracuya cheesecake?
Base:
My old and trusted sponge recipe for the base, I must have baked this a million times; it is quite rare that I use another recipe. The recipe is easy, it tastes great and it always turns out the way it is supposed to be, no surprises.
- Line the bottom of a springform (26 cm/ 10 inches diameter) with baking paper.
- Separate the eggs.
- Beat the egg whites and the warm water until stiffer.
- Slowly start adding the sugar and continue beating until the egg whites are stiff and glossy.
- Carefully fold in the lightly beaten egg yolks.
- Mix the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder together and sift them over the egg mixture.
- Fold in carefully.
- Pour the batter into the prepared springform and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Release the cake from the form and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Filling:
- Bloom the gelatin in cold water according to the packet's instructions, in my case, about 10 minutes.
- Mix the quark, sugar, vanilla extract, and juice in a bowl.
- Lightly squeeze the gelatin and add it to a saucepan large enough to hold the quark mixture as well later on.
- Turn the heat on and gently dissolve the gelatin. This will happen very quickly, so stand by and stir. Do not let the gelatin come to a boil.
- Remove the saucepan with the gelatin from the heat and slowly start adding the quark mixture, one tablespoon at a time, while stirring continuously.
- Place the mixture in the fridge and leave it until it just begins to set. Don't let it set too much.
- In the meantime, beat the cream until stiff. Gently fold the cream into the quark mixture.
Assemble:
- Assemble everything before making the glaze, as the hot glaze has to go directly onto the prepared cake.
- Slice the base once.
- Place one slice on a serving platter and place a cake ring around it.
- Pour in the filling and cover with the second cake slice.
Glaze:
To make the glaze for the maracuya cheesecake, follow the packet's instructions. When using Dr. Oetker clear glaze (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab):
- Mix the two packets of Dr. Oetker Glaze with 2 tablespoons of sugar in a saucepan.
- Slowly add the fruit juice and the water while stirring to avoid the formation of clumps.
- Turn the heat on and slowly heat the mixture while stirring continuously. You will need about 2-3 minutes.
- Let the mixture come to a boil, remove from the heat, and let stand for 1 minute.
- Carefully pour the glaze on top of the cake.
- Place the cheesecake maracuya in the fridge for at least 4-5 hours, until set, or even better, let it in the fridge overnight.
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Cheesecake Maracuya
Ingredients
- Cake base:
- 3 eggs
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 150 g sugar 5.3 oz/ ¾ cup
- 85 g all-purpose flour 3oz/ ⅔ cup
- 40 g cornstarch 1.4 oz/ ⅓ cup
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Filling:
- 10 sheets gelatin Dr. Oetker
- 500 g low-fat quark 1.1 lbs/ 2 ½ cups
- 125 g sugar 4.4 oz/ ⅔ cup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 250 ml passion fruit/maracuya juice 8.5 fl.oz/ 1 cup
- 500 ml heavy cream or whipping cream 17 fl.oz/ 2 cups
- Glaze:
- 2 packets Dr. Oetker glaze
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 375 ml passion fruit/maracuya juice 12.6 fl.oz/ 1 ⅔ cups
- 125 ml water 4.2 fl.oz/ ½ cup
Instructions
Cake base:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of a springform (26 cm/ 10 inches diameter) with baking paper.
- Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites and the warm water until stiffer. Slowly start adding the sugar and continue beating until the egg whites are stiff and glossy. Carefully fold in the lightly beaten egg yolks.
- Mix the flour, cornstarch and baking powder and sift them over the egg mixture. Fold in carefully.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared springform and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool: Release the cake from the form and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Filling:
- Bloom the gelatin in cold water according to the packet's instructions, about 10 minutes.
- Mix the quark, sugar, vanilla extract and the passion fruit juice in a bowl. Lightly squeeze the gelatin and place it to a saucepan large enough to hold the quark mixture as well later on.
- Turn the heat on and gently dissolve the gelatin. This will happen very quickly, stand by and stir. Do not let the gelatin come to a boil.
- Mix filling: Remove the saucepan with the gelatin from the heat and slowly start adding the quark mixture, one tablespoon at a time, while stirring continuously.
- Refrigerate: Place the mixture in the fridge and leave it until it just begins to set. Don't let it set too much.
- Beat the heavy cream until stiff, in the meantime. Gently fold the cream into the quark mixture.
- Assemble cake: Slice the cake once. Place one slice on a serving platter and place a cake ring around it. Pour in the filling and cover with the second cake slice.
Glaze:
- Mix glaze: To make the glaze follow the packet's instructions. In my case, I mix the two packets of Dr. Oetker Glaze with 2 tablespoons of sugar in a saucepan. Slowly add the juice and the water while stirring to avoid the formation of clumps.
- Simmer: Turn the heat on and slowly heat the mixture while stirring continuously, it will take 3-4 minutes until the mixture comes to a boil. Let bubble once or twice, remove from the heat, let stand for 1 minute.
- Pour the glaze on top of the cake carefully.
- Refrigerate: Place the cake in the fridge for at least 5-6 hours or overnight (best).
- Serve: Once the cake is completely set, run a knife inside the cake ring to help release the cake from the ring. Remove the ring and slice the cheesecake.
Sissi says
Adina, I love so much passion fruit and even more with quark or yogurt! I actually make a very quick dessert in a glass with quark/Greek yogurt mousse topped with passion fruit (posted a long time ago...) and your beautiful cake has reminded me of these flavours. Of course your cake is from a different category, so festive and impressive!
PS I always use Dr Oetker products when available, also their baking powder, but had no idea there is single-acting and double-acting kind of baking powder!