Ingredients:
For the Sponge Cake:
– Eggs – 4
– Sugar – 1 cup (250 g)
– Flour – 4 tablespoons (not heaping)
– Cornstarch – 4 tablespoons (not heaping)
For the Cheese Filling:
– Cottage cheese – 2 kg
– Sugar – 3 cups
– Vanilla sugar – 1 packet
– Gelatin – 2 packets
– Sour cream – 1 container
– Zest of 1 orange
For the Jelly:
– Gelatin dessert mix – 2 packets
Making the Sponge Cake:
Beat the eggs and gradually add the sugar. Combine the flour and cornstarch, then slowly incorporate them into the egg mixture. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, grease it with margarine or butter, and pour in the batter. Bake until golden brown; I didn’t time it, but it shouldn’t take long.
Preparing the Cheese Filling:
Dissolve the gelatin in water according to the package instructions. Be careful not to use boiling water, as it will lose its properties; the water should be around 80 degrees Celsius (176 degrees Fahrenheit). Pass the cottage cheese through a meat grinder (I always grind it twice through the finest sieve for a very smooth texture). Add the sugar, vanilla, and zest to the cottage cheese and mix with a mixer. The sour cream should be at room temperature; add the dissolved gelatin and mix briefly (1-1.5 minutes). Then, combine the gelatin-sour cream mixture with the cottage cheese mixture and blend again with the mixer.
Making the Jelly:
Dissolve two packets of gelatin dessert mix (I use the Polish brand) in 400-500 g of hot water, but again, not boiling!
Assembling the Cake:
I always use a round cake pan with a diameter of 30 cm (about 12 inches) for this cake. Spread the cheese filling over the cooled sponge cake, pressing it down and smoothing the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3-4 hours, depending on how quickly the filling sets. The filling must cool completely; otherwise, it will absorb the jelly. Slice the fruit and arrange it on top of the cheese filling, lightly drizzling with 1/3 of the jelly mixture. Place it back in the refrigerator. Don’t pour all the jelly at once, or the fruit will float to the top, ruining the presentation. Once the first layer of jelly has set, pour the remaining jelly using a knife (hold the knife at a 45-degree angle and pour the jelly along its blade) and return it to the refrigerator to chill.