Sweet Cheese Pudding (Paskha)
Are you ready to take a sweet journey across cultures and borders? One that involves delicious, traditional foods? Then let's dive right into making Paskha - the creamy, soft cheese pudding with a rich history! Originating from Russia, this mouth-watering dessert has been around for centuries, but it hasn't lost its charm. From its medieval look down to its creamy texture and subtle flavors of candied fruit or nuts; each bite will have your taste buds singing. Even better: you don’t need to be an expert at cooking to make this amazing treat because the steps are straightforward and easy to follow! Ready? Let’s get started on our way toward mastering the art of making Sweet Cheese Pudding –Paskha!
Ingredients
Let's gather the ingredients!
- 2 pounds fresh farmer cheese
- 6 egg yolks
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 sticks unsalted butter softened
- ¼ tsp nutmeg freshly grated
- 1 orange only the zest
- ⅓ cup candied lemon peel finely chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- Assorted dried fruits for decoration
Instructions
Let's Begin!
- Press the cheese through a medium strainer set over a bowl.
- Using a mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk yolks with the sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce speed to medium, then add cheese, butter, nutmeg, zest, and lemon peel and mix until very smooth.
- Add cream in a slow, steady stream just until combined. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Line a 5x7-inch paskha mold, flowerpot, or strainer with dampened cheesecloth, then add the batter.
- Fold cheesecloth over top. Top with two stacked plates weighted with 2 to 3 cans. Place filled mold over a wide, empty cooking pot in the refrigerator, then let drain overnight.
- Remove weights and plate, then pull back the cheesecloth from the base. Carefully invert the mold onto a serving plate and remove the paskha, then remove the cheesecloth. Decorate with dried fruits.
- Serve and enjoy with family and friends!