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Tvorozhnaya massa s izyumom (sweet tvorog cream with raisins)
Sieved tvorog whipped with butter, sugar, vanilla and raisins
All over Russia, tvorozhnaya massa is the smooth, sweet curd cheese of childhood breakfasts and afternoon teas, and at Easter it is the base of paskha. Fresh tvorog is pressed through a sieve and beaten with soft butter, sugar and vanilla until it is pale and fluffy, then raisins are stirred in. It is creamy and tangy, sweet but light, and high in protein. Spread it on bread, spread it on rye toast or eat it from a bowl with tea and berries. Nothing is cooked and no egg goes in: beating the butter into the sieved curd gives it a mousse-like body, and it firms up nicely in the fridge, so nothing is needed to bind or set it. Chef's tip: soften the butter fully and sieve the tvorog first; the common mistake is beating cold butter into grainy curd, which leaves hard flecks and a lumpy, heavy cream.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ⅛ oz raisins
- 14 oz full-fat tvorog (farmer's cheese)or well-drained quark
- 1 ¾ oz unsalted buttervery soft
- 1 ¾ oz icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp sour cream (smetana)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Cover 2 ⅛ oz raisins with just-boiled water and leave for 10 minutes while you prepare the curd, then drain and pat dry.
10 minStep 2: Press 14 oz full-fat tvorog (farmer's cheese) through a fine sieve with the back of a spoon, or blitz it briefly in a food processor, until smooth.
4 minStep 3: Beat 1 ¾ oz unsalted butter with 1 ¾ oz icing sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract in a bowl until pale and creamy.
2 minStep 4: Add the sieved tvorog and 2 tbsp sour cream (smetana) and beat for 2–3 minutes, until light, fluffy and smooth.
3 minStep 5: Fold in the raisins and serve, or chill for 1 hour if you like it firmer.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tvorozhnaya massa s izyumom (sweet tvorog cream with raisins) take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of icing sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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