Recipe(tried): Finnish Easter Pasha Paasiaispasha and Ukrainian Cheese Paska (babka)

FINNISH EASTER PASHA PAASIAISPASHA

Karelians, of eastern Finland, claim pasha as their Easter dessert. It is a mixture of dairy products that are flavored with almonds and raisins, and it is usually served with cloudberry preserves from the Arctic. In Finland, pasha is usually made with a fresh cheese called rahka. This recipe calls for ricotta.

Pasha is traditionally baked in a special wooden mold that has the orthodox Easter symbols carved into the sides so that they are impressed on the dessert when it is unmolded. For the clearest impression of the designs when using a pasha mold, use no more than two layers of cheesecloth. If you don't have a pasha mold, a clean five to six inch clay or plastic flower pot with drain holes on the bottom makes a rather pretty substitute.

1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
3 pints ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup minced almonds
1/2 cup raisins
Fresh fruit, berries or preserves

In a large metal bowl, combine the cream, butter, sugar, and eggs. With an electric mixer on high speed, beat until light and fluffy. Place the bowl over a pan of boiling water and continue beating the cream mixture until it is thick and light. Remove the bowl from the heat and add the ricotta cheese and sour cream, beating until thick. blend in the almonds and raisins.

Line a pasha mold (or a clean 5 to 6 inch flower pot with holes on the bottom)with dampened cheesecloth. Turn the pasha mixture into the lined mold and fold the cheesecloth over the top. Place a 1-pound weight (such as a pound of butter or a can of vegetables or fruit) on top. Place in a large pan (to catch the drippings) and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, draining off the liquids several times, until the pasha is firm. Before serving, unmold the pasha onto a serving plate. Serve with fresh fruit, berries, or preserves. 10 servings.

Scandinavian Feasts
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Ukrainian Cheese Paska or Cheese Babka

Cheese paska, shaped as a pyramid or block, is a traditional Easter dessert. It may be cooked as given below, or the cooking may be entirely omitted.

For an uncooked paska, combine the ingredients, omitting the cooking, then mold and refrigerate the mixture as directed in this recipe.

2 pounds dry cottage cheese
3/4 cup soft butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 egg yolks
1 egg
3/4 cup thick (whipping) cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup blanched, almonds chopped fine
1/2 cup assorted fruit--raisins, mixed peel
1 teaspoon vanilla

Press the cheese through a sieve. Cream the butter with the sugar and then combine with the cheese. Beat the egg yolks and the whole egg together; blend with the cheese mixture. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the vanilla.

Put the mixture into the top of a double boiler and heat it over barely simmering water until bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Stir constantly while heating it. Remove from the range and continue stirring until the mixture cools. This is very important. This long stirring gives the paska a smooth and velvety texture. Lastly add the vanilla.

In Ukraine, the cheese mixture for paska is poured into a special mold with a removable rim, shaped like a pyramid. But an ordinary plastic flower pot with a hole at the bottom may serve the purpose.

Line the pot with a dampened cheesecloth of double thickness and pour the mixture into it. Cover with a damp cloth, place a small plate on top of the paska, and weight it down with a suitable weight.

A clean brick or a heavy iron may be used for a weight. The hole on the bottom of the pot allows the excess moisture to drain off. Let it stand in a cold place for 24 hours. Unmold on a plate and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator. Decorate at the base with fresh berries or a sliced orange. Serve in slices at the table.

The flower pot mold gives a very attractive shape to the paska. But if it is not available, the cheese mixture may be molded into a block. Pour the mixture into a clean, damp 10-pound sugar bag. Tie the open end of the bag securely into a knot, or sew it up. Place between 2 clean boards (not pine) and weight it down with a weight. Let it stand in a cold place for 24 hours. Cut the bag on all sides with scissors, trim the rough edges of the paska, and place on a serving plate. Chill well before serving.

Traditional Ukrainian Cookery