Cheesecake with Cottage Cheese (Ukrainian Syrnyk)

A lovely cheesecake with cookie crust and crumb topping. Made with three kind of cheeses, pressed dry cottage cheese, pressed cottage cheese and cream cheese. This recipe makes a lot of filling, so don't fill the pan to the top if using a 9" springform pan that is not deep enough. The filling rises and some of the crumb topping will fall off. I take about 1 cup or more of the filling and make a little cheesecake in a 5" springform pan without crust. The cake will rise and then fall as with all cheesecakes.

Crust:
1½ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature
3 Tbsp. vegetable shortening
1 egg, slightly beaten
3-5 Tbsp. ice water

Cheese Filling:
1 cup pressed dry cottage cheese (250 g)
1 cup pressed cottage cheese (250 g)
1 cup cream cheese (250 g)
¾ cup sugar
3 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
4 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 large egg yolks
3 large egg whites, whipped until stiff
1 cup whipping cream, whipped until stiff

Crumb Topping:
¾ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
¼ cup butter

For the Cookie Crust:
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add vanilla butter, and shortening; combine ingredients using a pastry blender or a fork until well mixed. Blend in egg; add water by the tablespoonful while mixing until dough holds together. Shape dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C/200°C fan, Gas Mark 7). Set oven rack second level from the bottom of stove.

Use a 9 or 10" springform pan. Pat dough into pan, forming a 1" high rim around the sides. Prick dough several times with a fork.

Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned, set aside to cool.

While crust is baking prepare the filling:
Combine the cheeses, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and egg yolks in a large bowl. Beat for 5-10 minutes or until creamy and fluffy. Beat egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Whip cream in another bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites and whipped cream into cheese mixture.

Reduce heat to 325°F (165°C/140°C fan, Gas Mark 3).

For Crumb Topping:
Combine flour, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl, cut in butter using a pastry blender, a fork or your fingertips, until mixture resembles crumbs.

Pour filling into the cooled crust. Sprinkle Crumb Topping over filling. Place cheesecake on a jelly roll pan and place cheesecake in the oven.

Bake for 70-80 minutes or until firm. Turn off oven after baking, and open oven door. Leave the cake in oven for 2 hours or until completely cool. Chill cake in the refrigerator for 5 hours or overnight. Dust with confectioners' sugar if you wish.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Variation:  If you prefer cream cheese then use 3 cups of cream cheese or 3 cups pressed cottage cheese.