German Cheesecake (Käsekuchen) vs Koulourakia: Traditional Greek Butter Cookies

Both desserts lean on butter, sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla, but put them to very different work. The Käsekuchen uses cold butter in a lemon-scented crust, then combines quark with sugar, eggs, a cornstarch-and-milk slurry and melted butter, baking it slowly until the centre sets with only a slight wobble before it is served chilled. Koulourakia instead cream butter and sugar until fluffy, lift the dough with baking powder, soften it with milk, then twist it into ropes and brush it with egg wash. The result is golden cookies, firm to the touch, scented with vanilla and optional orange zest.