Vegan Curd Cheese Strudel With Cherries

A curd strudel, also known as a quark strudel, is a type of puff pastry or strudel pastry that is popular in Austrian cuisine. The filling is made from a particular curd known as “Topfen,” which is commonly combined with eggs, semolina, sugar, butter, sour cream, raisins, and vanilla spice.

Ingredients

1 pack (about 250g) vegan puff pastry sheets, thawed
500g vegan curd cheese (also known as vegan quark or tofu quark)
100g granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
300g fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
2 tablespoons almond milk (or any other plant-based milk) for brushing
Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F).
In a large mixing bowl, combine the vegan curd cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and cornstarch. Mix well until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the sweetness according to your preference.
Roll out the vegan puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface to make a rectangular shape. If using multiple sheets, overlap them slightly and press them together to seal the edges.
Spread the curd cheese mixture evenly along the center of the pastry sheet, leaving some space around the edges.
Place the pitted cherries on top of the curd cheese mixture.
Gently fold the sides of the pastry over the filling, and then roll the strudel carefully until it forms a log shape. Seal the edges by pressing them together.
Transfer the strudel to a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam-side down.
Brush the top of the strudel with almond milk to give it a golden color while baking.
Using a sharp knife, make a few small slits on the top of the strudel to allow steam to escape during baking.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the strudel turns golden brown and crispy.
Once done, remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.
Optionally, dust the cooled strudel with powdered sugar before serving.