Crumb Cake “Fragile”
This recipe comes from my friend Sevinj (chokh sagh ol, Sevinc!). She learned how to make it from a cooking show back in Azerbaijan hosted by Shirin khanim (Khanim is equivalent to Ms or Mrs in English). Since the cake didn’t have a name and Sevinj wrote that the cake is super fragile, I branded it “Fragile” and this is exactly how the texture of the cake is. The filling has farmer cheese in it (kesmik in Azeri, tvorog in Russian), but ricotta cheese is a great substitute. It is super easy to make and is absolutely delicious, and yes, it is fragile, so handle with care:) Alright, I won’t dwell on much details this time and will leave you with the recipe of now one of my favorite sweet treats. Enjoy!
CRUMB CAKE FRAGILE
For the Dough:
7 oz (200 g) unsalted butter, cold
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
1/2 tablespoon plain yogurt or sour cream
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
For the Filling:
14 oz (400 g) unsalted farmer cheese or ricotta cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or a pinch of vanillin powder
Method:
First, prepare the dough. Using a coarse side of a box grater, grate the butter into a mixing bowl.
In a small cup, dissolve baking soda in plain yogurt or sour cream and add to the mixing bowl with butter. Add the flour and sugar to the same bowl. Using a fork, gently cut the mixture, until you obtain crumbles a size of chickpeas (do not use a mixer!). Set aside.
Now, prepare the filling. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling together and stir until well blended.
Lightly grease the bottom and the sides of a 8 x 11 inch (20 x 28 cm) baking pan (I use pyrex pan).
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
Divide the crust dough into half. Spread half of the dough over the bottom of the pan. Do not press.
Spread the filling evenly over the bottom crust.
Sprinkle the remaining dough over the filling, again, without pressing.
Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes, or until light golden on top.
Remove from the oven and let cool for in the pan about 15 minutes, then cut into squares. Let cool completely before serving. Nush Olsun! Enjoy!
- Ambera L.: I just made your cake and it
- Lesya Cali: Very simple ingredients and bread turned out
- Lesya Cali: Thanks for the recipe. It is great
- LaMimi: Hi darling!
I'm also azeri. I'm Leyla's
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35 Comments Add your own
1. Joy | August 21st, 2009 at 11:22 pm
I’m craving for this now! It looks so rich and creamy. Perfect with my coffee.
2. Rosa | August 22nd, 2009 at 12:58 am
It looks so good and delicate! Just the kind of treat I’m always craving for…
Cheers,
Rosa
3. faiza | August 22nd, 2009 at 5:18 am
It looks soo yummy and tempting. I can never resit this…
4. Aysegul - Ny's Delight | August 22nd, 2009 at 5:45 am
ohh this looks so simple delicious
5. Betty Blair | August 22nd, 2009 at 10:40 am
Farida, So well presented. Such easy steps. So clear.
THANKS! Looks yummy. Beautiful work you do!!!
6. Parita | August 22nd, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Thats very rich and delicious cake!
7. Cynthia | August 23rd, 2009 at 9:20 am
I love crumble-cakes
8. Nez | August 23rd, 2009 at 2:16 pm
so heavenly to look at. my 10,000 taste buds wants to have it…
9. scary azeri | August 23rd, 2009 at 2:24 pm
do you take your own photos, because they look really good and…yummy! ?:)))
10. vusala | August 24th, 2009 at 12:23 am
Hi Farida, this is one of my favorite cakes. My mother in law always makes it at home. She would make tvorog separately and then the cake…
11. zerrin | August 24th, 2009 at 6:05 am
I love such easy and delicious dishes. It will be perfect for breakfast to surprise family members with ths ‘fragile’ cake in the morning.
12. cook | August 24th, 2009 at 6:40 am
i’d love serving it with some mocca ice cream and sour cherry as a topping!
13. Marysol | August 24th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
…and soon-to-be one of my favorites too.
Fari, your cake looks fragile, and delicious! The type of cake that would be heavenly all on its own!
I always keep a simple butter cake in the freezer for whenever the mood for a cold slice of cake strikes. And the mood strikes quite often during the summer.
I’ll bake yours this week. and report back. Although, I have a feeling it won’t make it to the freezer.
14. diva | August 25th, 2009 at 9:42 am
ok YUM, farida. it’s past midnight here but i can totally imagine how this would taste like. something like a cheesy crumble..ooooo. lovin it
i want a Fragile too pls. x
15. George@CulinaryTravels | August 25th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Oh Farida you are making my mouthwater. I want to reach into the screen and grab a piece, it looks so very very good.
16. Soma | August 25th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Farida, I am visiting you after a long time! this is beautiful.
17. My Comfort Food | August 26th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
This is lovely. I am drooling. Buttery and creamy and delicious.
18. Aparna | August 27th, 2009 at 5:51 am
I love the idea of cheese in this cake. Sounds most interesting. Looks lovely.
19. FARIDA | August 27th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS. CHEERS!
20. Tiina | August 28th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
This must taste delicious!
21. Turkish Food Passion | August 30th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Feride, ellerine saglik, mukemmel gorunuyor. Hic denememistim daha once.
22. navneet | August 31st, 2009 at 4:59 am
I found this web site to know more about Azerbaijan. I hope it will help you.
http://www.indiavision.com/countries/
23. Sevinj | August 31st, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Canim Farida,
It’s been a long time that I visited your tasty site. Was busy with exams and presentations.
It’s so sweet of you to mention Shirin khanim’s name. I have never met her, but there are several her recipes in my notebook, and I am greatful to her for them. I am glad that thanks to your amazing web site motre people will enjoy one of Shirin khanim’s cakes. Thank you for your incredible work!
Kiss,
Sevinj.
24. Sevinj | August 31st, 2009 at 5:10 pm
to navneet: My favourite site about my lovely home country is this one:
http://azer.com/
hope you will like it too.
25. FARIDA | September 1st, 2009 at 9:15 am
Thank you all for your comments. It’s great reading them:)
26. Heni | September 2nd, 2009 at 5:11 am
What a delicately yummy cake … I am going to try this recipe!
27. sajitha | October 2nd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
farida..i have been wanting to make this cake for a long time…ur pic looks lovely…but i dont come by ricotta or farmers cheese very often here do u think i could substitute plain cream cheese
28. Mrs Ergül | October 5th, 2009 at 2:48 am
How cute to call these Fragile! I miss catching up on your blog!
29. ninu | November 15th, 2009 at 6:34 am
hey farida, i have been lusting after this for quite some time now… but like sajtha says.. idont come by ricotta or famers cheese quite often. will some home made quark do ?
30. FARIDA | November 16th, 2009 at 11:41 am
NINU: Do you have PANEER where you live? You can use it, or any unsalted milk cheese, soft but not too liquidy. Does it help?
31. Azerbejd?an: Sernik w kru&hellip | November 24th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
[...] sernik pyszny i delikatny z chrupi?c? skorupk? Troch? za s?odki, ale do kawy pasuje.przepis ze strony AZ Cookbook. [...]
32. Tunzala | January 3rd, 2010 at 5:12 pm
Hi Dear Farida. Thanks for this wonderful Fragile cake recipe. I would like to ask can you also use cottage cheese in this recipe?
For some reason I thought tvorog is a cottage cheese. Do you know what a difference between ricotta and cottage cheese? Will be grateful for your help. Also, our tvorog seems have more sour taste.
Thanks
33. Alla | February 17th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
another great recipe! Making this right this second. (with Ricotta cheese though- I forgot to buy farmer;s cheee) I hope it comes out just as good since the consistency of the ricotta filling more watery…
34. Adila | February 21st, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Thank you for this recipe !!!
I made it with ricotta cheese and it turned out divine
We loved it ! Really very fragile and looks just like in your picture.
Thanks again
35. Iza | May 24th, 2010 at 2:28 am
very tasty cake a nice day …;)
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