Easter White Cheese Farmers Cheese Recipes

UKRAINIAN EASTER CHEESE (PASKA)

Steps:

• Combine farmer cheese, cream cheese, butter, and egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; mix on low speed to combine. Add sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, lemon zest, and orange zest; mix until Paska mixture is smooth.
• Line a sieve with dampened cheesecloth, leaving an overhang on all sides. Place over a plate that will catch any additional liquid that drains out.
• Spoon Paska mixture into cheesecloth. Fold the ends of the cheesecloth over the mixture. Cover with a plate and set a heavy weight on top.
• Chill until Paska is firm, overnight to 24 hours.
• Remove weighted plate and unfold cheesecloth ends. Use cheesecloth ends to lift Paska out. Invert onto a plate and peel away cheesecloth.

EASTER CHEESE MOLD: PASHKA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese or farmer's cheese, sugar, cream cheese, and egg yolks, stirring to mix.
• In batches, process the mixture in a food processor, adding an equal amount of cream to each batch, until completely smooth. Transfer back to the bowl.
• Stir in the ground almonds, lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them to the cheese mixture along with the raisins. Mix thoroughly.
• Line a clean, unused 8-cup flower pot with a double layer of rinsed and squeezed-dry cheesecloth. Spoon the cheese mixture into the lined pan, then fold the ends of the cheesecloth neatly over the top. Place a saucer on the cheesecloth, then a 2-pound weight, such as a can, on the saucer. Put the flower pot in a bowl large enough for the liquid to drain into. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
• Empty the bowl. Unmold the pashka onto a serving plate and carefully remove the cheesecloth. Decorate with candied fruit, pressing some of the fruit into the pashka to form the letters XP, which stands for Khristos voskres ("Christ has risen").

EASTER WHITE CHEESE, FARMERS CHEESE

Steps:

• Make a cheesecloth bag that's 4 layers thick, and about 12" long by 6 1/2 " wide. The bottom 8" or so should taper to a point.
• Place the cottage cheese into a colander, over a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place a weight on top. Let it drain for 2 - 3 hours.
• Using an electric mixer, mix all the ingredients until they're well blended.
• Place the cheesecloth bag in a large bowl, with the seems facing out. Pack the mixture in the bag, to about 4" from the top of the cheesecloth. Twist the top, and tie it being careful not to get it so tight that you're forcing the cheese out of the pores of the bag.
• Cover a sheet pan with plastic, then place the filled cheese bag on top. Place the bag so that the seem is in the center of the back, and front, it should almost look like a heart. One end of this sheet pan should be elevated to permit the cheese to drain. You can use either a bowl , or 2 coffee cups to do this. Place a bowl underneath the bottom of the cheese, to catch the liquid that will drain out.
• Cover the cheese with another piece of plastic wrap, and set another sheet pan on top. Carefully place a weight on top of the top pan. But, be careful because the cheese is real soft and the top pan will want to slide off once the weight is on it.
• Store in a cool place, or in your refrigerator for 3 days, being sure to check it so that the weight doesn't fall off. My Mom used to let this rest in the basement, because it was nice and cool, and she used a Belgian Brick that we would have to check now and then to insure that it didn't fall off.
• When the cheese has dried out, cut off the cheesecloth bag with scissors, carefully so as not to break up the cheese. The cheese should be real firm to the touch. Place it flat on a platter, and store in your refrigerator until Easter morning.
• If you haven't gotten enough moisture out of the cheese, you will have a cheese that won't stay together.
• You can start this process a full week before Easter.