Russian Paskha

Name: Russian Paskha
Total time: 3600 s
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 600 g Ricotta (to replace quark); 1/2-3/4 cup 14% (or fatter) sour cream; 1/2 cup unsalted butter; 1/2 cup rinsed and dried raisins; 1 tsp vanilla sugar; 1/2-2 tsp white sugar (depending on how sweet you want it to be); 1/4 cup succade and/or crushed hazelnuts (optional)

Breadfish @cook_13979168

Montréal

Paskha is a festive dessert dish served during the celebration of Easter in the Russian Orthodox homes following the Great Lent. There are many variations of the recipe depending on the ingredients you have access to. This one in particular will guide you through the process using the ingredients you can find in any grocery store. Keep in mind that while the actual preparation time is about an hour, you have to consider a 2-3 day draining time in the fridge before serving.

Breadfish @cook_13979168

Saved

Ingredients

60 mins. (+48h)

6 servings

600 gRicotta (to replace quark)
1/2-3/4 cup14% (or fatter) sour cream
1/2 cupunsalted butter
1/2 cuprinsed and dried raisins
1 tspvanilla sugar
1/2-2 tspwhite sugar (depending on how sweet you want it to be)
1/4 cupsuccade and/or crushed hazelnuts (optional)

Saved

Steps

60 mins. (+48h)

1

You will also need a Paskha plastic mold (such as this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HNVFXWE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fUpXBbCAPHHW2) and a cheesecloth (approximately 2' x 2'). Preparation: Thaw the butter for 2 hours outside of the fridge until soft (can also use microwave). Meanwhile, pour boiled water over raisins and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain and let raisins dry.
2

Strain ricotta through the mesh strainer 3-4 times to give it the fluffy consistency of the quark. Leave it in a bowl.
3

In a separate container mix all the sugars with the sour cream. Blend the mixture with spoon until it becomes liquid.
4

Add the obtained sweet mixture to the fluffed ricotta.
5

Add the softened butter to the bowl as well.
6

Whip the contents of the bowl using a mixer on medium speed.
7

At this point, add the raisins (+ optional: succade and/or crushed hazelnuts) to the final mix. Blend them well evenly into the mix.
8

Carefully line the Paskha mold with the cheesecloth (opening towards the wider end of the mold). Make sure you have enough loose cheesecloth at the opening. Slowly pour the final mixture into the lined mold. Hold the cheesecloth edges to prevent it from being sucked into the mold.
9

Close the wider mold opening with a few layers of loose cheesecloth. Place the mold on a small grill. Place the grill on top of a glass bowl. The bowl will serve as the draining dish. Place a heavy object (preferably a jar) of 2 L or more on top of the mold. This will serve as the weight to apply pressure and drain the excess moisture from Paskha. Place the mold and the draining system into the fridge.
10

Allow Paskha to be drained for 2-3 days prior to serving. Once ready, flip the mold carefully onto the serving dish, and remove the mold, then the cheesecloth.
11

Optional: May decorate with sugar icing for presentation.