Quark in baking and doughs

Why

Quark (tvaroh) is made by acid curdling of milk: lactic acid from bacteria sets the casein into a soft curd from which the whey is only drained or spun off, so depending on the maker and type it keeps very different amounts of water, and soft quark is much wetter than hard grating quark. Wet quark in a dumpling dough takes up more flour and the dumplings then turn tough; in a filling for buns and cakes the protein contracts further in the heat and squeezes out whey, which makes the dough soggy or runs out. Egg and starch, semolina or custard powder bind this water in the heat, the egg sets and the starch swells, so the filling holds its shape; lumps of quark do not melt in the oven, so for a smooth filling the quark is pressed through a sieve or blended. The acidity of quark varies and rises with age, so a sweet filling balances it with sugar and lemon zest, and because quark is a fresh dairy product, baked goods made with it belong in the fridge once cooled.

How to do it

• Drain wet soft quark in a sieve lined with a cloth or muslin, covered in the fridge, for 30 minutes up to overnight depending on how wet it is.
• For a smooth filling press the quark through a sieve or blend it briefly with the egg and sugar; for dumpling dough it is enough to beat it with the egg and butter.
• Add semolina and flour to quark dumpling dough and let it rest for 15–30 minutes so they absorb the moisture; only then judge whether more flour is needed.
• Firm up fillings for buns and cakes with an egg or a yolk and a spoonful of starch, semolina or custard powder, and do not let the filling spill over the edge of the dough.
• Cook quark dumplings in gently simmering water; cook a single one first as a test.
• Leave baked goods made with quark at room temperature for no more than 2 hours after baking, then store them covered in the fridge (see the Cooling and storing leftovers card).

If it goes wrong

Firm up runny quark dough with a spoonful of semolina and let it rest for another 10 minutes before adding flour, because extra flour makes the dumplings tough. Let a filling that released whey in the oven cool down, it firms up as it cools; carefully blot any puddle on the surface with kitchen paper. Quark that is too sour is softened by sugar, honey or vanilla sugar; do not use quark that smells musty, tastes bitter or shows mould.