Alivenci (Romanian Custard Tart) – Easy Cornbread Cheesecake

5 from 15 votes

A soft Romanian custard tart with cornmeal, cottage cheese, and sour cream. Bakes golden and keeps well for days.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Cuisine: Romanian

Servings:

Calories: 431kcal

2 cups whole milk
7 tablespoon butter, divided (5 tablespoon in the mix, 2 tablespoon for topping)
⅔ cup corn grits or medium cornmeal
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 packets vanilla sugar or 2 tablespoon sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
2 cups cottage cheese
¾ cup double cream or crème fraîche
5 eggs
¾ cup caster sugar
Zest from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
In a pot, bring the milk to a gentle simmer. Add 5 tablespoons (70 g) of butter and whisk until it’s fully melted.
2 cups whole milk
Slowly pour in the cornmeal while whisking. Add the flour, vanilla sugar, and a pinch of salt. Keep whisking for 2–3 minutes until the mixture thickens. Set it aside to cool slightly.
¼ cup all-purpose flour, 3 packets, Pinch of salt, ⅔ cup corn grits or medium cornmeal
In a large bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, double cream, egg yolks, caster sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. You can use a hand mixer or just a wooden spoon—whatever you like best.
2 cups cottage cheese, ¾ cup double cream or crème fraîche, ¾ cup caster sugar, Zest from 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Once the cornmeal mixture has cooled, stir it into the cheese mixture until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold them into the mixture using a spatula. Move from top to bottom to keep the batter fluffy.
Grease your baking dish or line it with parchment paper, then pour in the mixture and spread it out evenly.
Dot the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 g) of butter.
Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is just set.
Let it cool slightly before slicing. I like serving it with a dusting of powdered sugar, a dollop of sour cream, or a spoonful of jam.

Let the cornmeal mixture cool before mixing it with the eggs to avoid scrambling them.
Use full-fat cottage cheese or ricotta for the creamiest result.
Folding in the egg whites gently keeps the batter light and airy—don’t rush this step.
You can use crème fraîche or sour cream instead of double cream.
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or enjoy cold.
This tart is best baked in a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) pan or a similar size.
If using parchment paper, lightly grease it so the tart doesn’t stick.