Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 75 g sugar + 150 g sugar (divided)
- 100 g cold unsalted butter
- 4 medium eggs (1 for base, 3 for filling)
- 750 g quark (Magerquark or regular, well drained)
- 200 g sour cream or Schmand
- 80 ml neutral oil (e.g. sunflower)
- 1 packet vanilla pudding powder (37 g)
- 2 cans mandarin segments (ca. 175 g drained weight each)
- 1 lemon (zest + 2 tbsp juice)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 packet vanilla sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder, pinch of salt
- Optional: 2 tbsp fine semolina, powdered sugar for dusting
Do This
- 1. Preheat oven to 170°C top/bottom heat and line a 26 cm springform with baking paper; lightly grease sides.
- 2. Quickly knead flour, baking powder, 75 g sugar, butter, 1 egg and a pinch of salt into a smooth dough; press into base and a 3–4 cm rim. Chill while you make the filling.
- 3. Thoroughly drain mandarins in a sieve, then gently pat dry with paper towels so they do not water down the filling.
- 4. Whisk quark, sour cream, 150 g sugar, 3 eggs, oil, pudding powder, lemon zest and juice, vanilla and salt until smooth; if using, stir in semolina.
- 5. Spread half the quark mixture over the base, scatter half the mandarins on top, then repeat with remaining filling and mandarins, gently pressing fruit under the surface.
- 6. Bake at 170°C for 60–70 minutes until the edges are set and golden and the center still has a slight wobble. If browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
- 7. Switch off oven, leave cake inside with door slightly ajar for 10–15 minutes, then cool completely and chill at least 3 hours before slicing. Dust with powdered sugar to serve.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic German-style quark cheesecake with a light, silky texture and buttery shortcrust base.
- Juicy canned mandarins bake into the filling, creating bright citrus pockets in every slice.
- Stable, crack-resistant filling thanks to quark and pudding powder, ideal for stress-free entertaining.
- Simple ingredients and clear steps, perfect for home bakers without special equipment.
Grocery List
- Produce: 2 cans mandarin segments, 1 lemon
- Dairy: Quark (750 g), sour cream or Schmand (200 g), unsalted butter (100 g), 4 medium eggs
- Pantry: All-purpose flour, sugar, neutral oil, vanilla pudding powder, vanilla extract or vanilla sugar, baking powder, salt, fine semolina (optional), powdered sugar (optional)
Full Ingredients
For the Shortcrust Base
- 200 g all-purpose flour (Type 405 or similar)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 75 g granulated sugar
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 100 g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 medium egg (size M)
- Optional: 1 tsp vanilla sugar or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Quark–Mandarin Filling
- 2 cans mandarin orange segments in juice or light syrup (ca. 175 g drained weight each; total about 350 g drained)
- 750 g quark (Magerquark or regular; if very wet, drain in a sieve for 30 minutes)
- 200 g sour cream or Schmand
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 3 medium eggs (size M), at room temperature
- 80 ml neutral oil (e.g. sunflower or canola)
- 1 packet vanilla custard/pudding powder (ca. 37 g, for cooking; vanilla flavor)
- Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 packet vanilla sugar
- 1 pinch fine salt
- Optional but recommended: 2 tbsp fine semolina (Grieß) to help set the filling
For Finishing
- Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
- A few extra well-drained mandarin segments, for decorating the top (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the pan and preheat the oven
Line the base of a 26 cm springform pan with baking paper. To do this easily, place the paper over the base, clamp the ring on top and trim any excess around the edges. Lightly grease the sides of the pan with a bit of butter or oil to help the cheesecake release cleanly later.
Preheat your oven to 170°C top/bottom heat (or 150°C fan-assisted). Make sure the oven rack is in the lower third of the oven. This slightly lower position helps the cheesecake bake gently and reduces the risk of the top burning or cracking.
Step 2: Make the shortcrust base
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, 75 g sugar and a pinch of salt. Add the cold butter cubes and rub them into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Alternatively, use a pastry cutter.
Add the egg (and vanilla sugar or extract, if using). Quickly knead everything together with your hands just until a smooth dough forms. Do not overwork, or the crust can become tough.
Press the dough evenly into the prepared springform pan, covering the base and forming a rim about 3–4 cm high up the sides. Make sure there are no holes or very thin spots where the filling could leak. Prick the base lightly with a fork. Place the pan in the fridge while you prepare the filling; this helps prevent the dough from shrinking.
Step 3: Drain and prepare the mandarins
Pour the canned mandarin segments into a fine sieve set over a bowl to catch the liquid. Let them drain very well for at least 10 minutes. Excess liquid will make the filling watery, so this step is important.
After draining, gently pat the mandarins dry with paper towels. Try not to crush them; you want nice whole segments in the cheesecake. Set aside. If you like, reserve a few pretty segments for decorating the top of the baked and cooled cake.
Step 4: Mix the quark filling
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the quark and sour cream (or Schmand) until smooth and lump-free. Add the 150 g sugar, 3 eggs, neutral oil, vanilla pudding powder, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla and a pinch of salt.
Use a hand whisk or electric mixer on low speed to combine everything just until smooth and evenly mixed. Avoid whipping too much air into the batter; too much air can cause the cheesecake to rise and then collapse or crack.
If using, stir in the fine semolina, which helps absorb some moisture from the mandarins and gives a slightly firmer, very sliceable texture. The filling should be pourable but not watery.
Step 5: Assemble the cheesecake with mandarins
Remove the chilled crust from the fridge. Give the quark filling a brief stir, then pour about half of it onto the crust, smoothing the surface with a spatula.
Scatter roughly half of the drained mandarins evenly over the filling. Pour the remaining filling on top and smooth again. Distribute the remaining mandarins over the surface and gently press them down with a spoon so they are just submerged in the filling. This prevents them from drying out or burning on top, and you get beautiful mandarin pockets inside the cake.
Tap the pan lightly on the counter a couple of times to release any trapped air bubbles.
Step 6: Bake gently until just set
Place the springform pan on the rack in the lower third of the preheated oven. Bake at 170°C top/bottom heat (or 150°C fan) for about 60–70 minutes.
The cheesecake is done when the edges are set and lightly golden, and the center still has a gentle wobble when you nudge the pan. If the top is browning too quickly after about 40 minutes, loosely cover the pan with a piece of aluminum foil.
When the time is up, switch off the oven but leave the cake inside with the door slightly ajar (you can use a wooden spoon to keep it open a crack) for another 10–15 minutes. This gradual cooling helps minimize cracks.
Step 7: Cool, chill, and serve
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Run a thin knife gently around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake from the sides; this also helps prevent cracks as it cools and contracts. Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature in the pan, which will take about 2–3 hours.
Once completely cool, cover the pan and chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, better overnight. The texture improves and firms up as it chills, making it easier to cut clean slices.
Before serving, release and remove the springform ring. Gently slide the cake onto a serving plate if desired. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and decorate with a few extra mandarin segments on top. Slice with a sharp, thin-bladed knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts for the neatest pieces.
Pro Tips
- Drain the mandarins thoroughly. The better you drain and pat them dry, the creamier and more stable your filling will be. Wet fruit is the main cause of a soggy cheesecake center.
- Use room temperature ingredients for the filling. Cold eggs and quark can make the batter lumpy and cause uneven baking. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before starting.
- Do not overbake. A slight wobble in the center is exactly what you want. The cake will continue to set as it cools and chills.
- Avoid overmixing. Mix the filling just until smooth. Too much air in the batter can create bubbles and cracks as it bakes.
- Plan ahead. This cheesecake tastes best after resting in the fridge overnight. The flavors meld and the texture becomes perfectly sliceable.
Variations
- Apricot or peach version: Replace the mandarins with well-drained canned apricot or peach slices, cut into bite-size pieces. Their sweetness pairs beautifully with the lemony quark.
- Streusel topping: Double the shortcrust ingredients, use half for the base and crumble the rest over the top before baking for a German-style Streuselkuchen effect.
- Vanilla bean deluxe: Split a vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the filling in place of (or in addition to) vanilla extract for a more pronounced, natural vanilla aroma.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store the cooled Käsekuchen mit Mandarinen covered in the refrigerator. It keeps well for 3–4 days and is an excellent make-ahead dessert for gatherings, as the flavor improves after a night in the fridge. To prevent the surface from sticking, cover the cake loosely with an inverted plate or use cling film without pressing it onto the top.
You can also freeze individual slices: wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap and then in a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving for the best texture.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate values per slice (1 of 12): about 410 kcal, 12 g protein, 26 g fat, 34 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber. Values will vary based on the exact products you use (quark fat content, type of sour cream, and the syrup content of the mandarins).
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