Strawberry Cottage Cheese Cake
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!

Recipe type: Dessert | Cheesecake
Serves: 12 to 14
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 10" Tart or 10" Springform Pastry: Sweet Pastry Pastry Prep: Baked Starting Oven Temp: 425° Storage: Cover and Refrigerate
Help: Cheesecake Hints and Tips
Help: Cheesecake Hints and Tips
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
Instructions
Sweet Pastry:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Bake: 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:
- 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.
- 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: 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:
- 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.
- 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.
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
Walter, Carole, Great Cakes, Random House, New York, 1991
Wolter, Annette, Teubner, Christian, Best of Baking, Fisher Publishing, 1980