Authentic Sernik Recipe Poland, Europe
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Introduction & history
When we speak of cheesecakes, versatility may be one of their main attributes, and Polish sernik is no exception. Traditionally, sernik is made with butter, sugar, eggs, flour and twaróg, Polish cow’s milk cheese with a crumbly texture similar to Italian ricotta. Everything else is a matter of choice — for instance, sernik can have a crust at the bottom, at both the top and the bottom, or have no crust at all. The filling can be based on twaróg cheese or enhanced with fresh, dried or canned fruit. The cake itself can be baked in an oven or prepared raw, while the top can be glazed with lemon icing, chocolate icing, or gelatin, or sprinkled with icing sugar. The variant with a crust is prepared by mixing flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs, and butter into a shortcrust dough. The dough is covered with a filling which consists of twaróg cheese, egg yolks, butter, sugar, potato flour, and egg white snow or meringue, after which the cake is baked ... Read more
Cooking tips
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crust
Some sernik recipes call for a layer of crust at the bottom, while some — primarily, the Krakow-style sernik — suggest covering the top of the cake with a grid-shaped crust. Typically, the crust is made with wheat flour, baking powder, sugar, butter, and eggs, while salt, milk, and cream may or may not be added. In most cases, the dough should rest in a refrigerator for up to 1 hour, after which it ... Read more -
twaróg
This traditional Polish cheese is made with cow’s milk, and is also known as bialy ser — white cheese. It can be compared to curd cheese, farmer’s cheese, quark or Italian ricotta, which can all serve as replacements. To make real Polish sernik, always use non-skimmed (tłusty), or partially skimmed (półtłusty) twaróg. Since twaróg has a crumbly, lumpy structure, most recipes suggest running it through ... Read more -
eggs
When it comes to the filling, the eggs are usually separated into egg whites and egg yolks. The egg whites should be whipped into a firm snow or mixed with sugar into a meringue. Either way, they are added to the filling at the very end and should be gently folded instead of mixed in with an electric mixer. This way, sernik achieves its fluffy, light texture. -
binding ingredients
In most cases, the sernik filling is bound with some potato flour. Wheat flour is added in some cases, while modern recipes suggest using instant pudding — cream- or vanilla-flavored one. On the other hand, the no-baking sernik recipes often use gelatin which helps the filling to harden during cooling. -
flavorings
The filling for sernik can be flavored with vanilla sugar, vanilla extract, lemon or orange extract, or even with candied lemon or orange peel. -
fruit
Traditional sernik recipes mostly call for stirring raisins into the filling. Fruit sernik comes in two variants, with chopped or mashed fruit. You can use either fresh fruit such as raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, or canned fruit like peaches, pears, and apricots. -
baking
Sernik can be baked in a rectangular baking pan or a round cake tin with detachable sides. Whichever you choose, line the bottom with parchment and grease the sides with butter for easier cutting and serving. Usually, sernik is baked in an oven preheated to 170 to 180˚C for 50 to 60 minutes. -
icing
In the simplest version, sernik is served with some powdered sugar sprinkled on top. Alternatively, you can glaze it with melted chocolate, or with a traditional white glazing made with lemon juice and sugar, which is typical of Krakow-style sernik.
Recipe variations
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Sernik Wiedeński II
Ready in 1h 50minIn this variant of Vienna-style sernik, the cheesecake is without the bottom crust layer. An important detail of this recipe is that the eggs are not separated, which prevents sernik from rising too quickly during baking. The filling can be enhanced with orange peel or raisins, and the top is glazed with melted chocolate.
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Sernik Wiedeński I
Ready in 1h 40minA popular Easter delicacy, sernik Wiedeński was named after the Austrian capital, Wien, and can be made with the bottom crust layer or without it. This version includes the bottom layer, and the recipe was adapted from the Polish Heritage Cookery cookbook by Maria and Robert Strybel is the most extensive and varied Polish cookbook ever published, lauded even by the great Julia Child. The top of the cake is glazed with a thin layer of fruit jam and cocoa glazing and decorated with some raisins.
Sernik Wiedeński II
PREP 20min
COOK 1h 30min
READY IN 1h 50min
In this variant of Vienna-style sernik, the cheesecake is without the bottom crust layer. An important detail of this recipe is that the eggs are not separated, which prevents sernik from rising too quickly during baking. The filling can be enhanced with orange peel or raisins, and the top is glazed with melted chocolate.
Ingredients
Sernik Wiedeński II
1 kg semi-fat or full-fat twaróg cheese
5 eggs
100 g butter
1 tbsp potato flour
1 tbsp wheat flour
1 cup fine sugar
2 tsp vanilla or orange extract
candied orange peel, optional
raisins, optional
ICING
100 g milk or bitter chocolate
50 g butter
Preparation
Sernik Wiedeński II
Warm up all the ingredients to room temperature. Grind the twaróg cheese three times. Sift the flour.
Mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, then gradually add twaróg cheese and mix until combined. Now, add the potato and wheat flour and vanilla or orange extract. If you wish, stir in candied orange peel and/or raisins.
Line the bottom of a 22-cm baking pan with parchment and pour in sernik batter. Preheat the oven to 170˚C, but reduce the temperature to 150˚C once you start baking. Do not turn on the ventilation, and if you wish, keep the oven door slightly ajar. Bake the cake for 1,5 hours, then let it cool.
While the cake is cooling, prepare the icing by melting the chocolate with butter in a bain-marie. Pour the icing over sernik, let it cool, and serve.
Other Variations
-
Sernik Wiedeński I
Ready in 1h 40minA popular Easter delicacy, sernik Wiedeński was named after the Austrian capital, Wien, and can be made with the bottom crust layer or without it. This version includes the bottom layer, and the recipe was adapted from the Polish Heritage Cookery cookbook by Maria and Robert Strybel is the most extensive and varied Polish cookbook ever published, lauded even by the great Julia Child. The top of the cake is glazed with a thin layer of fruit jam and cocoa glazing and decorated with some raisins.
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