An Italian style cheesecake made with cottage cheese and whipped cream and just a hint of lemon. This luscious, smooth, and creamy cake has a lighter texture than a classic cheesecake made with cream cheese. Before serving, cover the top with fresh ripe strawberries and a glazing of strawberry jam. Deliziosa!

Strawberry Cottage Cheese Cake

Ingredients:

Sweet Pastry:

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 large egg yolk

3 tablespoons whipping (heavy) cream

Filling:

1 cup small-curd cottage cheese

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups whipping (heavy) cream

Topping:

3 to 4 cups fresh ripe strawberries

½ cup strawberry jam

Directions:

Sweet Pastry:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour and sugar. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
   
   
2. In a small bowl, stir together the egg yolk and cream. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until the dough comes together. Tip: If the dough seems too dry, add another tablespoon of cream. 
   
   
3. Press pastry evenly into one 10 inch springform pan or 10 inch tart pan with a removable bottom, patting pastry evenly over bottom and about 2 inches up the sides. Lightly prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Place the pastry-lined pan on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate tart pastry until firm, at least 30 minutes.
   
   
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
   
   Bake:
5. Leaving the pan on the baking sheet, bake 15 to 20 minutes or until very light golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack to partially cool while preparing the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
   
   Filling:
6. Press cottage cheese through a strainer into a large mixing bowl. Add sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, and eggs; beat together with a wooden spoon or wire whisk until thoroughly blended; set aside.
   
   
7. In a medium mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the whipping cream until cream is thick and stiff.  Using a balloon type whisk or large rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the cottage cheese mixture.
   
   Bake:
8. Pour filling into partially cooled pastry. Bake 1 hour. Turn off the oven, and leave the cake in the oven to begin cooling for 1 additional hour. Remove from the oven and place pan on a wire cooling rack to cool completely. When completely cooled, refrigerate until ready to serve.
   
   Topping:
9. About 1 hour before serving rinse, dry, and hull the strawberries. Slice each strawberry ¼ inch thick. Arrange the strawberry slices in circles over the top of the cake, points outward, like the petals of a flower.
   
   
10. Place the strawberry jam in a microwave-safe bowl, heat using 50% power and stir frequently just until the jam is warmed and melted. Use a pastry brush to brush the warm jam over the top of the strawberries. Return to the refrigerator about ½ hour or until the jam is set. Refrigerate leftovers.
    
    TheBakingPan.com
    
    Source:
    Malgieri, Nick, Perfect Cakes, HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 2002,
    
    Walter, Carole, Great Cakes, Random House, New York, 1991,
    
    Wolter, Annette, Teubner, Christian, Best of Baking, Fisher Publishing, 1980
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