Name: Slimming World Quark cheesecake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 345 g | 12oz quark cheese (or ricotta); 6 1/2 tbsp granulated sweetener ((or sugar)); 2 tbsp plain flour; 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste; 1 orange zest only; 3 eggs separated; pinch salt; 3 oranges or fresh berries to decorate; 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds (optional); 2 tbsp blood orange juice to drizzle (optional); icing sugar to dust (optional); rosemary or mint (to garnish)

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If you are looking for a very easy, tasty and surprisingly low calorie dessert while on a diet then you have come to the right place! This delicious quark cheesecake will satisfy your sweet tooth without ruining your good intentions.

Recipe originally published in March 2016 and updated in February 2019.

Week four of my Slimming World journey and I have been enjoying more delicious food than ever, mainly because I make everything from scratch.

But as the weeks went by I started craving sweet treats rather ferociously. This week in particular I have found myself reaching for the chocolate and dreaming of cakes!

Thankfully this light quark cheesecake has come to the rescue – it is delicious but contains only a scant 30g of flour which equals about 5 syns (25g= 4.5) for the entire cheesecake! I think you will allow me a little happy dance…

What is quark?

Quark is a type of fresh acid-set cheese – it is very popular in German cooking and has become more popular in the UK thanks to Slimming World dieters. Quark has a very mild flavour and texture like ricotta but is very low in fat.

You can use it in both sweet and savoury recipes and currently I always have a pack or two in the fridge along with cottage cheese.

Quark cheesecake

This cheesecake is a variation of Italian ricotta cheesecake using quark cheese in place of the ricotta and sweetener instead of sugar.

This cheesecake has no crust – it’s a bit of a cross between cheesecake and soufflé. Unlike most baked cheesecakes it doesn’t require a water bath which makes it much easier to bake.

Quark cheesecake has very light and fluffy texture, unlike traditional baked cheesecakes which can be quite dense.

It is delicious served with fresh berries or blood orange wedges. If you are feeling fancy you could drizzle with a little Grand Marnier, but I found a little blood orange juice added a splash of colour and hint of tangy sweetness that went perfectly with the light taste of the cheesecake.

Slimming World cheesecake step by step

Step 1. Spray a 18cm (7in) springform cake tin with cake release or use Fry light. Line the base with baking paper and spray again.

Step 2. Put the cheese, egg yolks, sweetener, vanilla, flour and orange zest in a bowl and mix together with a hand whisk until smooth.

Step 3. Use a stand or hand mixer to whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until you have soft peaks. Make sure the bowl and beaters are clean and free of grease otherwise your eggs will not froth up. Continue whisking at high until you have firm peaks.

Step 4. Add one third of the meringue into the cheese mixture to loosen it. Fold the rest of the egg whites very gently trying not to knock all the air out.

Step 5. Transfer into the prepared tin and bake for about an hour until risen and golden. Leave to cool in the tin – the cheesecake will deflate slightly and sink in the centre. Chill for a couple or hours or overnight.

Step 6. Top the cheesecake with fresh berries or citrus slices. Drizzle a little blood orange juice over the slices as you serve them, if you like.

Slimming World cheesecake tips and tricks

Always whisk egg whites in a spotlessly clean bowl – ideally a metal or glass one as plastic can hold on to grease which will prevent the egg whites from frothing up.
Start by whisking the eggs on medium-low speed until small bubbles form then increase the speed until you have firm peaks.
You can use granulated sweetener (my favourite is Sukrin Gold) or sugar in this recipe.
You can use ricotta instead of quark cheese if you are not on a diet!
The cheesecake has a tendency to colour quite rapidly in the oven. Don’t tent it with foil! It will puff up and stick to it ruining all your work. Put a shelf well above the cheesecake (allowing plenty of room for it to rise) and place a tray or some foil there to prevent it from browning too much.
The cheesecake will puff up in the oven like a souffle but it will deflate slightly once out of the oven. This is normal – the recipe contains very little flour and relies on the egg whites to rise.
Decorate with fresh fruit just before serving. Segmented oranges look stunning and are delicious but a medley of berries is equally beautiful. Add small sprigs of mint or rosemary to garnish.

Have you made my Slimming World cheesecake?

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