No. 3216 — Royal Paskha
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 3216 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Combine 5 pounds fresh tvorog rubbed through a sieve, 10 raw eggs and 1 pound of the freshest sour cream in a saucepan. Heat on the stove, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula so that it does not scorch.
As soon as the curds reach boiling, even if only a single bubble appears, take off the heat, put over ice and stir until completely cold.
Mix in 1–2 pounds sugar crushed with 1 vanilla pod, ½ glass pounded peeled sweet almonds and ½ glass dried currants. Transfer to a napkin-lined paskha mould and press.
A separate modern editorial adaptation accompanying this Russian source gives a yield of about 4 kg and lists: 2 kg tvorog, 10 eggs, 400 g sour cream, 800 g sugar, 1 vanilla pod, 85 g almonds and 100 g dried currants or raisins.
That editorial adaptation instructs the cook to sieve the tvorog, mix it with eggs and sour cream, heat while stirring just to the first bubbles, cool completely in the refrigerator, then add the sugar ground with vanilla, almonds and currants.
It finishes by lining a paskha mould with a cotton napkin, filling it, weighting the top and refrigerating for a day while whey drains. The original accompanying calorie figure is printed as 56,250 per 100 g and is not presented here as verified nutrition information.
