Platte Kaastaart (Ghent Cheesecake)

Ingredients

• •2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• •1 tablespoon sugar
• •1/4 cup water, warm
• •3/4 cups milk, warm
• •1 egg, slightly beaten
• •1 pinch salt
• •1/4 cup butter, melted, cooled
• •2 1/2 cups flour, all-purpose
• •5 tablespoons applesauce
• •Filling:
• •2 eggs, separated
• •1/4 cup almonds, ground
• •1 cup cottage cheese, 8 ounces
• •1/4 cup vanilla sugar, or 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla-extract
• •1/2 cup macaroons, crushed
• •2/3 cup sugar

Directions

1. 1To make the crust, stir yeast and sugar into water in large bowl until dissolved. Stir in milk, egg, salt and butter. Beat in 1 cup flour until smooth. Cover and let stand 10 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a medium-stiff dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
2. 2Butter a 9-inch springform pan, set aside. Roll out dough to a 14-inch circle. Fit into buttered pan. Spread applesauce over bottom. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. 3To make the filling, beat egg whites until stiff and set aside. In a medium bowl, beat together egg yolks and cottage cheese--beat in macaroons, 2/3 cup sugar, almonds and vanilla sugar. Fold in beaten egg whites. Spread mixture over applesauce. Bake 50 to 60 minutes until golden.