Master the art of perfect glaze for cheesecake bliss

Confectionery is undoubtedly an extraordinary blend of art and craftsmanship. Some baked goods are so beautiful that you almost don't want to eat them—they'd fit better in a display case for visitors to admire—yet they are the result of hard, often tedious work and the fine-tuning of recipes over time. This combination is perfectly exemplified by the glaze on cheesecake.

What exactly is this glaze? It's an extraordinary effect achieved during the cooling of the cheese mixture, which must contain fat. Tiny golden droplets are released from the mixture and appear on top of the meringue foam that covers the cake. Of course, there are several important rules to follow to achieve this wonderful effect.

Ingredients:

Base:

• 7 oz of flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 3.5 oz cold butter
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup powdered sugar

Cheese Mixture:

• 2.2 pounds of semi-fat cottage cheese, triple-ground
• 2 cups milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 vanilla pudding mixes in powder form
• ½ cup oil

Meringue Foam:

• 5 egg whites
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Combine the ingredients for the base. Wrap the uniform dough in foil and refrigerate for half an hour. After this time, roll it out and place it in a baking paper-lined form. Prick with a fork and bake for 12 minutes at 356°F.
2. Prepare the cheese mixture by beating the egg yolks with sugar, then mixing with the remaining ingredients. Pour the prepared mixture onto the base and bake for 55 minutes at 335°F.
3. During this time, whip the meringue foam from egg whites, sugar, and a pinch of salt.
4. Take the cake out (after the mentioned 55 minutes) and spread the stiff meringue on top. Lower the temperature to 300°F. This is very important—without this, the glaze might not form. When this is done, put the cake back in and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
5. Cool outside the oven. Soon, the first drops of golden glaze should appear. Enjoy!