Serves 15 to 18
This rich, sweet, white cheese dessert is a great delicacy and a Russian Easter tradition. It takes two days to make and is worth every moment of it.
• 5 egg yolks
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup milk
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ¾ cup butter
• 3 lbs. hoop or farmer cheese
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp. grated lemon rind
• ½ cup finely chopped blanched almonds (optional)
1. Beat the egg yolks with 1 cup of the sugar until they are pale and fluffy. Add the milk and vanilla, and heat the mixture very gently, stirring constantly, until it thickens—this may take about 20 minutes. Add the butter and continue stirring until it melts. Cool the mixture, whisking it occasionally to keep it smooth.
2. Press the hoop or farmer cheese through a sieve to remove any lumps and whip the cream until it is stiff. When the sauce is completely cool, beat in the remaining sugar, the sieved cheese, the lemon rind, and the whipped cream. If you want to add almonds, stir them in at this point.
3. Paskha is traditionally shaped in a special carved wooden mold, but we must proceed on the assumption that the average American kitchen does not have one. So … line a colander with 2 pieces of muslin or 6 to 8 layers of cheesecloth. Pour the paskha mixture into the lined colander, gather up the cloth around it, pull it together as tightly as you can, and tie it firmly with string. Put a plate on top of the paskha and place a weight on the plate (a cast-iron saucepan should be heavy enough). Stand the colander over a bowl or deep dish to catch the drips and put it away in a cool place for 24 to 36 hours. Quite a bit of liquid will drain off. The paskha is ready when it is firm enough to keep its shape and be cut in slices.
4. Unwrap the paskha and turn it over carefully onto a plate. Slice it or cut it in little wedges and serve it alone or with a yeast cake. The paskha will keep for several days in the refrigerator if it is well covered.
