Aunt Edna’s Frozen Cheese Torte

Cheese torte recipe was found just in time

“Aunt Edna’s frozen cheese torte was always a family favorite,” wrote Patricia Luedke of Greendale. “My father-in-law (Gilbert Luedke) was especially fond of the dessert.

“When Edna passed away, the recipe was lost since she never wanted to share it. My father-in-law frequently mentioned how much he missed Aunt Edna and how he wished the recipe had been passed down. I made several attempts to duplicate it and came close but never got it quite right.

“Years passed and my father-in-law was getting ready to sell his house. While helping him clean out the kitchen I found my mother-in-law’s recipe box in the back of a cabinet. I took it home to look through and to my great surprise, there was the cheese torte recipe written in Edna’s own hand.

“Within the week I was able to gather the ingredients, make the cheese torte and share it with my father-in-law. I will never forget the look of complete bliss on his face while he ate the torte. Within a month of that day, my father-in-law died suddenly. To this day I can’t believe that the recipe was found just in time.

“I continue to make the cheese torte now and always eat an extra piece just for my father-in-law.”

The Recipe Box is an ongoing series showcasing old family recipes, and the stories behind them, submitted by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel readers. Read them all at jsonline.com/recipebox.

Aunt Edna’s Frozen Cheese Torte

Recipe tested by Nancy Stohs

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Graham cracker crust:

18 graham cracker squares, rolled out into fine crumbs (one full sleeve)

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup (2/3 stick) melted butter (or oleo)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Filling:

½ cup cold water

2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin (about 2 ½ envelopes)

2 egg yolks

½ cup milk

1 cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 pound baker’s cheese or dry cottage cheese (see note)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 egg whites (see note)

1 pint whipping cream

Make graham cracker crust: In a bowl, mix all ingredients together. Measure out 1 cup and reserve for topping.

Line bottom and about 1 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan with remaining crumb mixture, pressing into place.

Make filling: Pour cold water in a bowl and sprinkle with gelatin. Make sure all of the dry gelatin is coated with water.

In top of a double boiler, beat egg yolks slightly, whisk in milk and then sugar and salt. Cook over boiling water (water should not touch bottom of the top pot), until it is a thin custard, stirring occasionally.

Add gelatin mixture to hot mixture and stir well until dissolved. Transfer to a large bowl and cool until mixture begins to thicken.

Add cheese and vanilla and beat with an egg beater (or electric mixer) until light and fluffy.

In separate bowls, whip the cream and beat egg whites until stiff.

Fold first the whipped cream and then the beaten egg whites into cheese mixture.

Transfer to graham cracker crust-lined pan. Top with reserved crumb mixture. Refrigerate at least 12 hours.

Editor’s notes: Rupena’s Fine Foods in West Allis carries baker's cheese, and the Sendik’s store in Franklin sells it frozen. If you can’t find baker’s cheese or dry cottage cheese in a store near you, you can do what we did: use ½ pound regular cottage cheese and ½ pound ricotta cheese, blended until smooth in a food processor, which worked very well.

To be safe against the possibility of salmonella, use egg whites from pasteurized eggs or fresh eggs from a trusted source.

It’s called “frozen” cheese torte, but the recipe is refrigerated, not frozen.