Paska (Molded Sweet Cheese)

Ingredients

• •The Basic Cheese:
• •1 pint creamed cottage cheese at room temperature
• •4 hard-boiled egg yolks
• •3/4 cup sugar or to taste
• •1/2 stick softened butter
• •1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• •Possible Flavors:
• •1 teaspoon orange peel
• •1/2 cup currants (this is a favorite)
• •1/2 cup sultana raisins
• •1/4 cup ground nutmeats

Directions

1. 1To make the mold, traditionally, use a pyramid. In other places than Latvia, it’s usually necessary to improvise molds. Get a large, clean plastic or waxed cardboard container used for dairy products. Punch holes in the bottom for drainage. Line the mold with damp cheesecloth. Make sure your container is bigger than the recipe below or make several containers.
2. 2To make the basic cheese, combine the first 5 ingredients in a mixer or blender. After thoroughly blending the cheese mixture, any or all of the flavors can be added. Spoon the cheese into the prepared mold, set the mold onto a plate of some sort that will catch drippings and refrigerate for at least 48 hours. Discard any liquid that drains out of the mold. Take a mold off to serve and surround it with jellybeans or any other festive decorations.
3. 3The traditional accompaniment to paska is kulich, a sweet saffron bread. A good pound cake would make an excellent alternative.