International Recipes
Russian Easter Dessert (Pashka)
Russian Orthodox Christians created this dessert in celebration of Easter.
Yield: 12 to 14 servings
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 cups small-curd creamed cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1/2 cup chopped mixed candied fruit
- 1/4 cup finely chopped blanched almonds
Instructions
- Mix egg yolks and whipping cream in heavy saucepan.
- Stir in sugar and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture just coats a metal spoon, 12 to
15 minutes.
- Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract.
- Place saucepan in cold water until custard is cool. If custard curdles, beat with hand beater until smooth.
- Place 3 cups of the cottage cheese and 2 tablespoons of the butter in blender container. Cover and blend on medium speed, stopping blender occasionally to scrape sides, until smooth.
- Repeat with remaining cottage cheese and butter.
- Stir custard into cheese mixture until smooth.
- Stir in candied fruit and almonds.
- Line a 2-quart non-clay flower pot (with opening in bottom) with double layer dampened cheesecloth.
- Pour cheese mixture into pot; fold ends of cheesecloth over top.
- Place pot in shallow pan; place weights on top.
- Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, pouring off any liquid that accumulates in pan.
- To serve, unmold onto serving plate; remove cheesecloth.
- Garnish as desired with additional candied fruit and blanched almonds.
- Refrigerate any remaining dessert.