Natural form

Fresh quark straight from its container — white, thick, and softly mounded.

Shows the ingredient's defining texture, color, and consistency as a cook first encounters it.

Dairy & Eggs

Quark (Topfen)

Soft, fresh, slightly tangy curd cheese central to Central European cakes, dumplings, and spreads.

Quark, known as Topfen in Austria, is a soft fresh cheese with a smooth texture and mild, gently sour flavor. It is a baking staple in Central and Eastern Europe, going into cheesecakes, dumplings, strudel fillings, and savory spreads. Lower in fat than cream cheese, it is also eaten plain with fruit or herbs.

Quark is a fresh, unripened acid-coagulated cheese with deep roots in Germany, Austria, Poland, and the Baltic states, where it is known as Topfen, Twaróg, and other regional names. Unlike cream cheese, which uses rennet for coagulation, quark is made by acidifying warm milk until it curdles, then straining off the whey. The result is a smooth, spoonable cheese with a clean, mildly tangy flavor and noticeably less fat than many Western cream cheeses. Its high moisture content and fresh character make it uniquely suited to both sweet and savory preparations across Central and Eastern European cuisines. Austrian Topfen and German Quark are essentially identical products; in Poland, twaróg tends to be drier and more crumbly due to different production methods. For German cheesecake, fat content matters: 20% Vollfettquark produces the most authentic result, though the 10–20% range is acceptable for most home bakers.

Measured in: g
Storage: Fridge

Allergens

Dairy

Types & varieties

Magerquark / Magertopfen (0.2–1%)

Virtually fat-free; firmer texture, more tang; common in diet cooking

Halbfettquark (10%)

Mid-range fat; most popular for general kitchen use in Germany

Vollfettquark (20%)

Full-fat version; richer, creamier mouthfeel

Speisequark

Table quark meant for eating fresh with fruit or honey

Backquark / Backtopfen

Cooking-grade quark with slightly different moisture content for baking stability

Quark in Baking: Avoiding the Weeping Problem

The most common failure when baking with quark is a filling that weeps or becomes grainy. This happens because quark contains more water than cream cheese and is prone to releasing that moisture under high heat. The solution is twofold: moderate baking temperatures (160–175°C) and the addition of a stabilizer.

Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or 2 tablespoons of flour into 500g of quark before adding other filling ingredients
Bake at 160–175°C (320–345°F) rather than higher temperatures—low and slow prevents moisture release
For smoother fillings, blend quark briefly before mixing to eliminate any inherent graininess

Substitutions and Their Limits

While several dairy products can approximate quark's texture, none replicate its unique balance of low fat, high moisture, and clean tang exactly. This matters most in traditional recipes where the specific character of quark defines the dish.

Greek yogurt (strained overnight): closest texture match; slightly more tart; good for dips and spreads
Fresh farmer's cheese: slight curd texture; drain thoroughly; acceptable for baked fillings
Cream cheese: too thick and rich; will significantly alter German cheesecake; only for experimentation
Ricotta: made from whey rather than milk; grainier; acceptable in pasta fillings but not cheesecake

Common uses

German-style cheesecake (Käsekuchen)—the primary filling cheeseTopfenstrudel and other Austrian strudelsQuarkbällchen (fried quark dough balls)Börek and filled pastriesFilling for dumplings (Kloß, Maultaschen)Thick, spreadable base for herb dips and chives quark (Schnittlauchquark)Salad dressings and sauces—thinned with buttermilk or creamHealthy spread with fruit, honey, or nut butterBreakfast porridge base mixed with oats or semolinaLight pasta fillings (e.g., spinach-quark filling)

Tips & pitfalls

Commercial quark is ready to use; homemade quark should be well-drained or it will be too wet for most baked applications
Line your cheesecloth or strainer with a clean cotton cloth for a drier result, or use a fine-mesh sieve with good drainage time (2–4 hours refrigerated)
Do not use high heat when baking with quark—it can cause the filling to weep or become grainy; bake at moderate temperatures (160–175°C)
If the recipe splits during baking, a tablespoon of cornstarch or flour mixed into the quark filling helps stabilize it
For a smoother filling in cheesecakes, blend quark briefly before mixing with other ingredients to eliminate any graininess
Common mistake: substituting cream cheese for quark in traditional German cheesecake—the flavor and texture will be wrong; Greek yogurt with drained whey is a closer match
For homemade quark: heat 1 liter of buttermilk or cultured milk to 40°C, add 2 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar, stir gently, strain 2–4 hours

Nutrition

98kcal

Energy

410 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 46%Carbs 14%Fat 40%

Protein

11.1g

22% DV

Carbs

3.4g

1% DV

Fat

4.3g

6% DV

Fiber

0% DV

Sugars

2.7g

of which

Sodium

315mg

14% DV

Notable micronutrients

Vitamin B1218% DV

Selenium18% DV

Riboflavin (B2)13% DV

Phosphorus13% DV

Calcium6% DV

Vitamin A4% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · Cheese, cottage, creamed, large or small curd

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In the shops

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Good to know

Origin: Germany, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Baltic states
Type: Fresh, unripened acid-coagulated cheese
Milk: Cow's milk (typically 2% or 3.5% fat in production)
Texture: Smooth, creamy, spoonable; no visible curds
Flavor: Mildly tangy, fresh, clean; less acidic than cottage cheese
Fat content: 0% (Magerquark) to around 20% (Vollfettquark)
Production: Acidified milk is heated to 40–45°C until coagulation, then strained
Perishability: Refrigerate; consume within 1–2 weeks of opening
Austrian name: Topfen
Polish name: Twaróg
Czech name: Tvaroh

Substitutes

Greek yogurt (strained) — Closest texture; slightly more tart; works for dips, spreads, and some baking
Fresh farmer's cheese (Hüttenkäse) — Slight curd texture but workable; drain thoroughly; acceptable for baked fillings
Cream cheese — Too thick and rich; will alter traditional recipes significantly; only for experimentation
Ricotta — Made from whey, not milk; grainier texture; acceptable in pasta fillings but not for cheesecake
Homemade quark — Heat 1 liter of buttermilk or cultured milk to 40°C, add 2 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar, stir gently, strain 2–4 hours