Protein quark patties (Quarkkeulchen)
40 min · 27 g protein · 240 cals / serving
Saxony's golden quark patties, the high-protein way: low-fat quark and eggs bound with vanilla casein and a little spelt flour in place of the usual boiled potato, then pan-fried until crisp outside and soft as cheesecake inside. Served the traditional way, warm, with apple sauce and cinnamon.
Ingredients
- 2 cups quark, low-fat, any loose liquid poured off
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 scoops casein protein powder, vanilla, sweetened (or a whey-casein blend)
- 1/4 cup whole grain spelt flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- zest of 1/2 lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 tsp butter, for frying
To serve
- 1 cup applesauce, unsweetened
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Steps
- Whisk the quark, eggs, protein powder, flour, baking powder, lemon zest, vanilla and salt into a thick, smooth batter and leave it for 10 minutes, so the flour and powder can soak up moisture. It should drop from a spoon in a heavy blob; if it runs, stir in another tablespoon of flour.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat with a third of the butter. Drop in 2 heaped tablespoons of batter per patty, four patties at a time, and spread each into a round a good ½ inch thick and 3 inch across.
- Cook 3–4 minutes, until the underside is deep golden and the edges look set, then turn carefully and cook 3 minutes more, until springy and cooked through to 160°F in the middle. Keep them warm in a low oven while you fry the rest in the remaining butter; it makes about 12.
- Serve warm with the apple sauce, dusted with cinnamon.
Good to know
Why medium-low heat?
Quark and protein powder brown quickly, so over high heat the outside burns before the egg in the middle has set. Lower heat and a few extra minutes give a golden crust and a soft, cheesecake-like center.
Why casein rather than whey?
Casein soaks up far more liquid, so it thickens the wet quark into a batter that holds its shape, and it stays soft when cooked. Whey works, but the patties come out firmer and slightly rubbery; use a little more flour if you swap. It comes out at about the same score. A sweetened vanilla powder is all the sugar the batter needs; with unflavored powder, add a tablespoon of sugar or sweetener.
Can I add raisins?
Yes, raisins are the traditional touch. Soak a small handful in hot water for 10 minutes so they plump, then fold them into the batter.
Per
- Calories
- 109
- Protein
- (46%)
- 12 g
- Fat
- (18%)
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- (36%)
- 10 g
- of which sugar
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 138 mg
More breakfast
Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 959 kcal goes into the pot and 943 g of ingredients comes out as about 880 g of food: 109 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.