What would you substitute for European 'lowfat curd' (Quark)?

[Cinnamon]

I'd like to make these little snacky cheese things, and am wondering what anyone would sub from an American grocery store for the 'lowfat curd' or would you just leave it out and use more of the other ingredients?
http://www.foolforfood.de/index.php/kaese/frischkaesebaellchen?page=2

Quark is this stuff:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quark_(c...

This is what the cook wrote:
"As a cream cheese base I took one package of cream cheese (Philly), 200 g, and added 25 g of fresh ricotta, 25 g of mascarpone and 50 g of low fat curd. I only added some salt to taste because the ingredients I would roll the balls in later are very tasty itself."

[sarah galvin]

I would buy low fat yogurt and hang it in a cheesecloth bag for a couple of hours to strain out the liquid.

[roxlet]

I think that I saw quark in Whole Foods.

[toveggiegirl]

Do you have access to any ethnic markets? If you can find a Jewish or Israeli store (or even a Kosher section in a large grocery store), you can buy "Gvina Levana" or soft white cheese. You can also make your own. I don' think it's too hard. Let me know if you want me to find the instructions. I have them somewhere.

[Cinnamon]

Thanks all... I just gave this a try with lowfat Philadelphia cream cheese, about 3:2:1 with ricotta and soft goat's milk cheese, and salt to taste. I skipped the mascarpone. Turned out pretty well. Small balls = more flavor. I tried chopped dried cranberries, toasted black sesame seed, toasted chopped peanut, toasted coconut flakes, toasted black/white/red peppercorns, crushed, chopped chives - and one extra 'everything bagel' type of ball that I rolled around in whatever was left over. Next time I'd like to try a little ginger liqueur (or just boiled ginger broth) with sugar, boiled down to the point where it is a dense syrup, dried and then chipped into little shards. That with salt would be interesting.

[Morticia]

Hmmm...I have heard Indians call YOGURT "curd" - perhaps the cook who created this recipe may have been Indian? Or English? Quark is German, and I have only ever used it as a substitute for other things (like mixing it with sugar to create a faux-ricotta for a lasagne I once made in a village near Prague...) - so perhaps "lowfat curd" could mean "lowfat yogurt"?

[hotoynoodle]

quark is "like" ricotta in texture with a bit of tang to it. the recipe already contains ricotta, so add a little sour cream for the flavor, being careful to not get the mix too liquidy.

honestly, the mixture sounds awfully bland. i'd use some goat cheese instead.

[Cinnamon]

Thanks.. may try the goat or a little soft sheep's milk cheese.

[Cinnamon]

Recipe site is in Germany, so am pretty sure they mean the Quarky variety. :)