Mohn-Quark Spelt Cheesecake Bars
German-inspired quark and poppy-seed baked cheesecake bars on a spelt–almond crust, high in protein and low in added sugar.
Best for Higher-protein snack or breakfast, controlled sugar
A modern take on classic German quark-and-mohn flavors in portable bars: a nutty spelt–almond crust topped with a silkily blended quark-cottage filling and a bright poppy-seed swirl. Protein-forward (quark, cottage cheese, eggs) keeps these satisfying; maple and a touch of honey keep total sugar low. Chill before slicing so each square holds clean edges—perfect for breakfasts, snacks, or lightly sweet dessert.
Ingredients
- 150 g spelt flour
- 50 g almond flour , finely ground
- 4 g Baking powder
- 25 g granulated sugar
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 60 g Unsalted butter , keep cold
- 1 egg yolk , from a large egg
- 500 g quark , well-stirred
- 150 g Cottage cheese
- 120 g Greek yogurt , plain
- 2 large eggs , use together with reserved egg white
- 1 egg white , large
- 45 ml maple syrup
- 2 g Lemon zest , finely grated (about 1 tsp)
- 15 ml lemon juice , fresh
- 5 ml Vanilla extract
- 15 g cornstarch , helps set the filling
- 50 g poppy seeds , whole
- 100 ml whole milk , for poppy paste
- 10 g honey , for poppy paste sweetness
- 20 g toasted slivered almonds , for garnish (optional – can be omitted)
Instructions
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1
Preheat the oven to 170°C (conventional). Line an 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 in) square baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang for easy lifting.
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2
Make the crust: in a bowl whisk spelt flour, almond flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Rub or pulse in the cold cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and stir quickly until the dough just holds when pressed; press evenly into the prepared pan. Chill in the fridge while you make the fillings (about 10 minutes).
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3
Make the poppy-seed paste: combine poppy seeds, milk and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, 5–7 minutes until the seeds swell and the milk is mostly absorbed. Let cool slightly, then blitz briefly in a small food processor or with an immersion blender to a chunky paste; set aside.
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4
Make the quark filling: in a blender or food processor combine quark, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, the 2 whole eggs + reserved egg white, maple syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla and cornstarch. Blend until very smooth and slightly aerated (about 30–60 seconds). Scrape down the bowl.
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5
Assemble: spoon about two-thirds of the quark filling over the chilled crust and smooth. Dollop the poppy-seed paste in teaspoonfuls over the filling. Spoon the remaining quark filling on top, smooth gently, then run a skewer through the surface to create a swirl pattern. If you like, sprinkle 1–2 tsp extra poppy seeds on top for contrast.
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6
Bake the bars on the middle rack at 170°C for 35–40 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight, slow jiggle (an instant-read thermometer in the center should read about 70–72°C). Avoid overbaking to keep the texture creamy.
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7
Cool and chill: remove from oven and cool on a wire rack until room temperature (about 30 minutes), then refrigerate at least 2 hours (preferably 3) to fully firm for clean slicing.
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8
Slice into 12 bars using a hot, dry knife (wipe blade between cuts). Garnish each piece with a few toasted slivered almonds if using, and serve chilled or just slightly cool.