Mandarin Quark Slices

Preheat the oven to 200°C (top/bottom heat) or 180°C (fan).

Prepare the sponge cake batter:

• Beat eggs and hot water for 1 minute until frothy.

• Mix sugar and vanilla sugar, gradually add to the eggs while beating for another 2 minutes.

• Mix flour, baking powder, and cornstarch, then gently fold into the batter.

• Spread the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or into a springform pan).

• Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes.

Let the sponge cool.

• If baked in a sheet pan: Cut the sponge vertically in half.

• If baked in a springform: Slice the sponge horizontally in half.

For the filling:

• Drain the mandarins, catching the juice. Measure out 100 ml of juice.

• Soften the gelatin according to package instructions.

• Mix quark with sugar, vanilla sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice.

• Heat the measured mandarin juice, squeeze out the gelatin, and dissolve it in the juice while stirring.

• Stir 4 tablespoons of the quark mixture into the dissolved gelatin first, then mix everything together.

Whip the cold cream until stiff.

• When the quark mixture starts to thicken, fold in the whipped cream and mandarins.

Assemble the cake:

• Spread the filling onto one half of the sponge and place the other half on top.

• Chill the cake for about 2 hours before serving.

To serve:

• Dust with powdered sugar and cut into slices.