Saying “European original” is a bit weird given that Europe is large with plenty of variation even within short distances. Like potato salad is not the same between East/West Germany.
In Sweden, the standard “ostkaka” (lit. cheesecake) refers to the Småland cheesecake which at a glance looks like the burnt basque cheesecake, but is far from the same. What we call “cheesecake” here generally refers to the New York style one.
Hell my go-to recipe for the Småland-style cheesecake doesn’t even use dairy. The signature flavour isn’t cheese, but bitter almond, and almonds. I substitute cheese for courgettes. It’s less decadent but just as delicious.
Yes, that is true, I simplified. I was referring to it as the original because it is where the American recipe originated.
Why is or called cheese cake when it doesn’t contain dairy or dairy alternatives? It sounds really interesting. I might give it a try. I indeed have never heard of any Scandinavian cheese cake approaches.
Right so the original Småland cheesecake does contain cheese. The courgette version modeled after it tastes similar because the main flavour isn’t from the cheese, but rather the almonds and the bitter almond extract.
Growing up here, I associate bitter almond flavour with cheese cake. The Dr. Pepper soft drink also tastes of bitter almonds to me, so in my head it’s basically cheese cake flavoured soft drink.
Saying “European original” is a bit weird given that Europe is large with plenty of variation even within short distances. Like potato salad is not the same between East/West Germany.
In Sweden, the standard “ostkaka” (lit. cheesecake) refers to the Småland cheesecake which at a glance looks like the burnt basque cheesecake, but is far from the same. What we call “cheesecake” here generally refers to the New York style one.
Hell my go-to recipe for the Småland-style cheesecake doesn’t even use dairy. The signature flavour isn’t cheese, but bitter almond, and almonds. I substitute cheese for courgettes. It’s less decadent but just as delicious.
Yes, that is true, I simplified. I was referring to it as the original because it is where the American recipe originated.
Why is or called cheese cake when it doesn’t contain dairy or dairy alternatives? It sounds really interesting. I might give it a try. I indeed have never heard of any Scandinavian cheese cake approaches.
Right so the original Småland cheesecake does contain cheese. The courgette version modeled after it tastes similar because the main flavour isn’t from the cheese, but rather the almonds and the bitter almond extract.
Growing up here, I associate bitter almond flavour with cheese cake. The Dr. Pepper soft drink also tastes of bitter almonds to me, so in my head it’s basically cheese cake flavoured soft drink.