German Cheesecake - meringue-topped and filled with rhubarb compote

I know there are myriads of cheesecake recipes, but to me, none compares to this one! This is the recipe of one of my lovely neighbours who is like a surrogate grandmother to me. She loves to spoil us with her delicious cakes and pies and she will often stand at our door, carrying a whole baking tray full of cake and saying "I just did a little baking and figured I you might want some of it". I love these days! But even more I love the days when she treats us to this wonderful cheesecake!

In German this cake is called "Goldtröpfchentorte" which translates to something like "Golden Dew Cake" as delicate golden droplets will form on the meringue.

I'm sure you will also love this cake for its incredible silky softness!

If you don't like rhubarb you may just as well omit the compote - the cake will still be delicious.

And here's a little extra treat to help your baking process: Louis Armstrong's "Cheesecake". ;-)

You best use a 26cm (10inch) springform pan.

For the dough/crust you will need:

• 125g (4.4 oz) unsalted butter
• 75g  (2.6 oz) sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 250g (8.8 oz) flour
• 2 tsp baking powder

For the rhubarb compote you will need:

• 3 stalks of rhubarb
• 2 tbsp water
• 150g (5.3 oz) sugar
• 2 tbsp corn starch
• 1 tbsp cold water

For the filling you will need:

• 1/2 litre (16.9 fl oz) milk
• 1 package of vanilla pudding powder (for example Dr Oetker's Original Vanilla Pudding )
• juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 500g (17.6 oz)  heavy sour cream

For the meringue topping you will need:

• 3 egg whites
• 125g (4.4 oz) sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C ( 338°F).
Combine butter, sugar, egg yolks, flour and baking powder and knead into a firm dough. Refrigerate for about an hour until the dough is firm and shapable. Line a springform pan with baking parchment and grease the sides with butter. Roll out the dough to match the springform's diameter and place into the springform, carefully pressing it to form a compact crust as base for the cheesecake. Bake for about 10 minutes.

2. For the rhubarb compote, wash and peel the stalks of rhubarb and then cut into pieces of 2cm/1inch. In a small pot combine the rhubarb, sugar and 2 tablespoons of water and bring to the boil. Let simmer until the rhubarb is nice and soft. In a separate water glass, combine corn starch and 1 tablespoon of cold water, then add to the simmering rhubarb compote and stir until the compote starts to set and there is no more excess liquid. Let cool.


3. For the filling, prepare some vanilla pudding/custard according to the package's instructions, using the milk and pudding powder. Let cool. Whip up the sour cream, lemon juice and zest. Add the cool pudding/custard and mix thoroughly.
Spread a thin layer of rhubarb compote onto the pre-baked crust. Next, carefully pour the cheesecake filling on top of that and bake for about 50 minutes.


4. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks start to form. Slowly add the sugar and keep beating until the mixture is smooth and billowy, yet stiff. Spread on top of the cake, forming little peaks with a spoon. Bake for another 15 minutes. Let cool completely and remove from the pan.
You can also decorate the cake with a few tiny golden and pearl-coloured sugar pearl. They go along well with the little golden droplets that will form on the meringue and lend the cake its name.



The cake will still feel pretty wobbly and soft right after baking. However, that is perfectly normal and the cake will get firmer when completely cooled.