Sernik (Polish Baked Cheesecake)
A tall, dense, lemony baked cheesecake made with curd cheese. Less sweet than most cheesecakes and very moreish.
- Time1 hr 45 plus cooling
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.61 a head
- Oven170°C (150°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Rub the cold butter into the flour until it looks like crumbs. Stir in 50 g sugar and the egg yolk and bring together into a dough. Chill for 20 minutes.
20 min - 2
Heat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan). Line a 23 cm springform tin. Press the pastry into the base and bake for 15 minutes until pale gold.
15 min - 3
Beat the curd cheese, cream cheese, 150 g sugar, 4 egg yolks, potato starch, lemon zest and juice, vanilla and melted butter until smooth.
- 4
Whisk the 4 egg whites to stiff peaks in a clean bowl. Fold gently into the cheese mixture in three goes.
- 5
Pour onto the base and bake for 1 hour until set at the edges with a slight wobble in the middle.
60 min - 6
Turn off the oven, prop the door open and leave the cake inside for 30 minutes. Cool fully then chill before slicing.
30 min
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.