Paskha
You’ll need a tall narrow mold for this beautiful Russian Easter dessert.
Ingredients:
3 (12-oz.) pkgs. large-curd cream-style cottage cheese (4-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped mixed candied fruit
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
4 egg yolks
1 whole egg
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped blanched almonds
5 candied red cherries, quartered
10 whole blanched almonds
3 dried apricots, cut in 18 strips
Procedures:
Place a colander in a large bowl. Turn cottage cheese into colander. Fit a plate into colander to press down cottage cheese. Weight plate with a 29-ounce can of food. Refrigerate 3 hours. Cut 2 layers of cheesecloth 14 inches square; set aside. In a small bowl, combine mixed candied fruit and vanilla; set aside. Discard cheese drippings. Turn pressed cottage cheese into a large bowl. Beat with electric mixer until smooth, increasing speed from medium to high. On medium speed, beat in butter until smooth; set aside. Pour cream into top of a double boiler. Place directly over medium heat until small bubbles appear around edge. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks and whole egg until thickened. Gradually beat in sugar until mixture is pale yellow. Slowly beat in hot cream until blended. Pour cream mixture back into top of double boiler. Pour hot water 2 inches deep in bottom of double boiler. Bring to a simmer. Stir cream mixture over simmering water until it becomes a very thick custard, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in candied fruit mixture. Place top of double boiler in a pan of ice cubes. Stir constantly until custard is cooled, about 5 minutes. With a rubber spatula, stir cooled custard and chopped almonds into cheese mixture. Wet prepared cheesecloth in cold water. Wring out excess water. Line a pyramid shaped paskha mold or a 5-1/2 inch diameter, 9-inch deep plastic or clay flower pot with a hole in the bottom. Place mold on a rack over a shallow dish. Pour cheese mixture into cheesecloth-lined mold. Fold excess cheesecloth over top. Place paskha mold cover or a heavy object on top of cheesecloth. Refrigerate overnight. Remove cover or heavy object. Turn back cheesecloth from top of mold. Invert onto a serving dish or a platter; remove mold. Gently peel off cheesecloth. Decorate paskha with cherries, whole blanched almonds and apricot strips. Makes 16 to 20 servings.
