Slovakian Tvaroh Slice

 

    Hello! And welcome to the final episode of my Slovakian series and this month's Improv Cooking Challenge. This week I have had the pleasure of preparing several Slovakian recipes. It started with Eat the World on Sunday where the country of the month was Slovakia. I decided to make it a series and end the week by combing this month's theme of Pastry and Fruit with that theme and make Tvorah Slice. 

     Tvorah is a soft cheese. The end result is similar to cottage cheese tough the process of making it is different. Blend it up until smooth and let it sit over the pastry base. That topped with the fruit and elderflower gelatin makes a decadent and refreshing dessert. 

 Improv Cooking Challenge

Pastry & Fruit

• A Day in the Life on the Farm - Lemon Cream Pie
• Magical Ingredients - Very Berry Turnovers
• Pandemonium Noshery - Souvlaki Tvorah Fruit Slice
• Sneha's Recipes - Baked Apple Roses

Tvorah Recipe

Base Layer

1 1/4 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 c. powdered sugar

1 egg yolk

7 Tbsp. Butter, very soft but not melted

Cheese Layer

1 c. cottage cheese

1 c. heavy cream

1/2 c. sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 pkg gelatin

1/4 c. water

Top Layer

3/4 c. water

1/4 c. sugar

1 lemon

1 pkg. gelatin

1/4 c. elderflower syrup

6 Strawberries

Base Layer

Combine the flour, soda, and powdered sugar in a food processor. Add the egg yolk and butter. Mix until combined. Press the dough into an 8x8 inch baking dish. 

Place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Fifteen minutes before the dough comes out of the fridge turn the oven to 375*. 

Bake at 375 for 30 -40 minutes, until set and golden on top. remove from the oven and chill completely. 

Cheese Layer

Combine the water and gelatin and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Heat until the gelatin is melted. Set aside. 

Whip the cream along with the sugar and vanilla. 

In a high powdered blender combine the cottage cheese and cooled gelatin mixture. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the blender and fold into the whipped cream. 

Spread over the cooled crust layer. Chill. 

Top Layer

Combine the water, sugar, and gelatin and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Heat until the gelatin is dissolved. Add the zest and juice from the lemon along with the elderflower syrup. All to chill, but just until almost room temperature. 

Take the strawberries and remove the green tops and slice in half. Gently pour the room temperature gelatin over the chilled cheese layer. Place the strawberries in the gelatin layer and press lightly to keep them from floating around too much. 

Place in the fridge and chill for 4-6 hours or until the gelatin is set. 

Slice and serve. 

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Check out a few previous Improv Cooking Challenge contributions

• Watermelon & Olive Oil - Andalusian Watermelon Gazpacho 
• Pear & Dairy - Sour Cream Pear Pie
• Carrots & Cinnamon - Pollo en Chica
• Caramel & Cashews - Vietnamese Caramel Chicken
• Corn & Cheese - Colombian Mazorca Desgranada
• Meat & Nuts - Kyinkyinga
• Sumac & Yogurt - Iranian Sumac Beef Stew
• Potatoes and Coriander - Egyptian Sanet el Batates