Verse Kaasvlaai

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •28cm shallow vlaai tin or tart tin
• •Rolling pin
• •Mixing bowls
• •Whisk or hand mixer
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add the lukewarm milk, softened butter, and egg yolk, then knead for eight to ten minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer smears across your fingers. It should feel softer than bread dough but still hold itself together.

2. 2

   Let it rise

   Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about one hour, until nearly doubled. Butter a 28cm vlaai tin or shallow tart tin. If your kitchen is cold, give the dough time rather than heat; yeast is patient, and forced dough tastes rushed.

   A proper vlaai base is thin and tender, not lofty. If the dough doubles proudly like a bread loaf, press it down gently before rolling; the filling is the guest of honour.
3. 3

   Line the tin

   Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a round about 32cm wide. Lay it into the buttered tin, ease it into the edge without stretching, and trim the rim neatly. Sprinkle the base with the fine breadcrumbs. They are not flavour, they are insurance; they catch a little moisture from the cheese and keep the bottom tender rather than soggy.

4. 4

   Mix the filling

   Beat the kwark with the 100g sugar, egg yolks, cornflour, lemon zest, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks, then fold them through the cheese mixture. Fold, don't stir like you're punishing it; the whites give the filling its quiet lift.

5. 5

   Fill and rest

   Spoon the filling into the dough case and smooth the surface. Let the filled vlaai stand for fifteen minutes while the oven heats to 190C. This short rest lets the dough wake again before baking, which helps the rim rise softly around the cheese.

6. 6

   Bake just set

   Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the rim is golden and the filling is pale, lightly puffed, and still has a small tremble in the centre when you nudge the tin. Do not chase deep colour on the cheese. Kaasvlaai should look calm, not bronzed like a fairground prize.

7. 7

   Cool completely

   Let the vlaai cool in the tin for fifteen minutes, then loosen the edge and cool it fully on a rack. Chill for at least one hour before slicing if you want clean pieces. Dust with a little icing sugar only after it is cold, and only if the table asks for a Sunday coat.

Chef Tips

• •Use full-fat kwark or quark, and drain it in a sieve lined with clean cloth if it looks loose. Watery cheese makes a filling that slumps, and no amount of extra cornflour gives back the dairy richness you lost.
• •A metal vlaai tin gives the best bottom crust because it conducts heat quickly. A ceramic dish will work, but set it on a preheated baking tray so the base bakes before the cheese can soak it.
• •Do not slice it warm. I know the temptation, and I respect it. But fresh-cheese custard finishes setting as it cools, and a warm slice will collapse into a very tasty confession.

Advance Preparation

• •The vlaai is best baked the day it is served, then cooled and chilled for at least one hour before slicing.
• •The dough can be made the evening before and left covered in the refrigerator for a slow rise; bring it back to room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling.
• •Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for two days. Serve cool or let slices stand for fifteen minutes to soften slightly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 100g)