Cream Cheese Kuchen

Cream Cheese Kuchen-This is the thinner version.

For the Kuchen:
1/4cup warm water
1packet dry yeast
4Tbl. butter
1/4cup milk
1tsp. grated lemon peel
1/4cup sugar
1 egg
1/4tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups (plus 1/4cup) flour
 
For the Filling:
2 (8 oz.) cream cheese-softened
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2cup sugar
Beat all ingredients together, until smooth.

For the topping:
3/4-cup flour
1/4cup sugar
pinch salt
4Tbl. cold butter
Whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in the butter, with a pastry cutter, until it's looks like bread crumbs. Set aside.

You'll also need:
confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350*f
In a large bowl, whisk together the water and yeast. Let stand 15 minutes.
warm the milk and butter, just to lukewarm.
Add all Kuchen ingredients, including the milk and butter,  except the flour, Beating with an electric mixer, until well combined.
Add the 1-1/2cups flour, and beat until well combined.
Knead in another 1/4 cup of flour, or more, until you have a very soft dough that isn't too sticky.
Press into the bottom, and half way up the side, of a 13x9x2-inch pan.
Set aside to rise, while you make the filling, and topping.
Fill the kuchen, then add the topping. bake 40 minutes.

This is the thicker version, made in a 13x9-inch pan.

                     Beat the kuchen ingredients, until well combined.

Knead in another 1/4cup flour (or more, if needed) To make a very soft dough, that isn't too sticky.

Press into the bottom, and half way up the sides, of a lasagna pan. Set aside to rise, while you make the filling, and topping.

                             Beat the filling ingredients, until smooth.

Whisk together the dry ingredients, for the topping, then cut in the butter, until it resembles breadcrumbs.

         Add the filling, then the topping, to the kuchen. bake 40 minutes.

                  Once it's out of the oven, dust with confectioner's sugar.

I prefer a thinner cake, so I pressed it out on a greased cookie sheet. Folded the edges, to create a dam. added the filling and topping. Bake for 30-minutes.