Lviv Cheesecake

If you like cheesecake then this old-world classic might just be for you. Lviv cheesecake, named after the gorgeous city of Lviv in western Ukraine, is a rich and dense dessert that pairs perfectly with a cup of strong coffee.

Lviv cheesecake with chocolate ganache and nonpareils on a bed of cocoa puffed rice

A classic Lviv style cheesecake is different than a traditional Ukrainian cheesecake as the latter tends to be much lighter and fluffier. The style of cheesecake from Lviv uses more sugar and butter in the batter for a sweet and rich dessert usually served in small portions.

This recipe is adapted from one by Yurii Kovryzhenko, a Ukrainian celebrity chef, and it tastes pretty much like what I get at the bakeries around Rynok Square! You can also substitute or leave out the dry fruits if you like; Many Ukrainians prefer their Lviv style cheesecake a certain way and rarely change their mind.

What Is A Lviv Cheesecake?

Like many Eastern European cheesecakes, a Lviv cheesecake is made from farmer’s cheese or syr. This is similar to a cottage cheese or quark, although moisture and fat content can vary. This cheese is also used in the very popular Ukrainian breakfast syrnyky.

This is a baked cheesecake. So if you wanted something no-bake then unfortunately you’ll have to look elsewhere. That being said, as far as baked cheesecakes go the Lviv ones are very forgiving as they usually have chocolate poured over the top. So never fear the cracks!

What You’ll Need

Baking Dish – I recommend a square pan as this cheesecake is most often cut into cubes. However when making it at home you can really use whatever you want. I recommend this silicone mold for easy removal

Bowl&Whisk or Stand Mixer – I highly recommend using a stand mixer as it makes quick work of combining all ingredients.

Oven – As this is a baked cheesecake you kind of can’t avoid needing an oven.

How To Make Lviv Cheesecake At Home

This easy recipe only requires a few basic ingredients, and if you live in Europe or near an Eastern European market then you should have no issue at all finding things like the right cheese or dried fruit. If you do make it to an Eastern European market, I highly recommend reading about some other delicious Ukrainian recipes so you can try more of this country’s amazing cuisine.

Ingredients

  • 500 grams Sour Milk Cheese 9% – This might be called Syr, quark, or cottage/farmer’s cheese depending on where you are in the world. If you can get to a Ukrainian market you won’t have an issue finding the exact one, although quark or cottage cheese might have a higher moisture content. It isn’t an issue as one of the steps is pressing out the excess liquid.
  • 200 grams Sugar – White sugar works just fine here.
  • 100 grams Butter – The original recipe calls for unsalted butter, which you absolutely can use. Personally I like using salted as there is no other salt in this recipe and a little bit in the butter makes the other flavors pop.
  • 4 Eggs – Separated
  • 20 grams Flour – I use AP flour but you can actually use any flour you like here. It’s just a little amount to help hold everything together.
  • 50 grams Raisins – I used gold raisins but you can use whatever you like, or another dried fruit if you prefer. This is one of the ingredients people have their staunch opinions on.
  • 50 grams Dried Cranberries – Just like with the raisins above feel free to sub or leave out this ingredient. It is entirely up to you.
  • Zest of 1 Orange
  • 100 grams Dark Chocolate – Callets; I recommend Callebaut as they easily melt in the microwave and are very high quality. You can buy them online here if you don’t have access to a baking specialty store.
  • 1 tbsp Coconut Oil – This is not a traditional ingredient at all, but it causes the ‘magic shell’ effect when you pour the chocolate over the frozen cheesecake which I personally like. You can leave it out and just pour over the melted, tempered chocolate as is.

Instructions

Begin by preheating the oven to 180C. Press the moisture out of the cheese using a towel or cloth, then pass through a sieve into a bowl. In another bowl whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar, then add the flour, butter, dried fruit, and orange zest. Combine thoroughly by hand or with a mixer.

Place the egg whites in a CLEAN bowl or stand mixer and whip to soft peaks.

Fold the egg whites into the rest of the cheesecake mixture. Place mix into your baking dish and bake for 45-55 minutes. Remove from the oven, let come to room temperature, then place in the freezer overnight.

When time to serve this cheesecake remove the entire cake from the freezer and pop out of the mold (freezing makes for easy removal). Let the cake warm up on the counter and cut into cubes.

Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a small bowl and microwave for a minute. Mix to combine and then pour slowly over a cube of cheesecake. Decorate with fresh berries or nonpareils, or whatever else you feel like decorating with. Enjoy!

What Other Dried Fruits Can I Use?

While raisins are the most popular dried fruit in a basic Lviv cheesecake, you can really use any dried fruit. Some popular options are cherries, currants, pineapple, and others.

How Long Does A Lviv Cheesecake Last In The Fridge

This cheesecake will stay delicious if covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. However it also freezes extremely well in which case you can keep it for months. As you only dress it with chocolate before serving you can keep it prepped and ready to go until needed.

Where To Find The Best Cheesecake In Lviv?

So, making this recipe at home doesn’t cut it? You want to travel all the way to Lviv to try it here? Here are some of my favorite places in Lviv that serve this namesake cheesecake:

  • Cukiernya – Staroievreiska St, 2, Lviv, Lviv Oblast, 79000 (MAP)
  • Lvivski Plyatsky – Rynok Square, 13, Lviv, Lviv Oblast, 79000 (MAP)
  • Atlas – Rynok Square, 45, Lviv, Lviv Oblast, 79000 (MAP)
Lviv cheesecake with chocolate ganache and nonpareils on a bed of cocoa puffed rice

Lviv Cheesecake

If you like cheesecake then this old-world classic might just be for you. Lviv cheesecake, named after the gorgeous city of Lviv in western Ukraine, is a rich and dense dessert that pairs perfectly with a cup of strong coffee.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Ukrainian
Servings 9 people
Calories 688 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Cake Mold
  • 1 Oven
  • 1 Bowl & Whisk | or a stand mixer for convenience

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams Sour Milk Cheese 9% This might be called Syr quark, or cottage/farmer’s cheese depending on where you are in the world. If you can get to a Ukrainian market you won’t have an issue finding the exact one, although quark or cottage cheese might have a higher moisture content. It isn’t an issue as one of the steps is pressing out the excess liquid.
  • 200 grams Sugar
  • 100 grams Butter
  • 4 Eggs Separated
  • 20 grams Flour
  • 50 grams Raisins
  • 50 grams Dried Cranberries
  • Zest of 1 Orange
  • 100 grams Dark Chocolate Callets (I recommend Callebaut)
  • 1 tbsp Coconut Oil This is not a traditional ingredient at all but it causes the ‘magic shell’ effect when you pour the chocolate over the frozen cheesecake which I personally like. You can leave it out and just pour over the melted, tempered chocolate as is.

Instructions
 

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 180C. Press the moisture out of the cheese using a towel or cloth, then pass through a sieve into a bowl. In another bowl whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar, then add the flour, butter, dried fruit, and orange zest. Combine thoroughly by hand or with a mixer.
  • Place the egg whites in a CLEAN bowl or stand mixer and whip to soft peaks.
  • Fold the egg whites into the rest of the cheesecake mixture. Place mix into your baking dish and bake for 45-55 minutes. Remove from the oven, let come to room temperature, then place in the freezer overnight.
  • When time to serve this cheesecake remove the entire cake from the freezer and pop out of the mold (freezing makes for easy removal). Let the cake warm up on the counter and cut into cubes.
    Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a small bowl and microwave for a minute. Mix to combine and then pour slowly over a cube of cheesecake. Decorate with fresh berries or nonpareils, or whatever else you feel like decorating with. Enjoy!
Keyword Baking, Cheesecake, Cottage Cheese, Ukrainian Food
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1 thought on “Lviv Cheesecake”

  1. Mykola tarenko

    5 stars
    This was delicious. Fortunately I had everything on hand so didn’t even need to go to the grocery store.

    May you let me know what that berry you topped your cheesecake with in the image?

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