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Pasca
5 from 2 votes

Pasca

Pasca is a traditional Moldovan brioche with a dough called cozonac dough that is stuffed in the center mainly with cheese, cream and nuts.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 8 people
Course: Dessert

Ingredients

For the dough
  • 8 cups flour , sifted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 7 egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons active dry yeast
  • 8 tablespoons butter soft), diced, unsalted
  • 8 tablespoons butter soft), diced, salted
  • lemon zest of 1
  • orange zest of 1
  • 1 tablespoon rum
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
To brush dough
  • 2 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon crème fraîche (or sour cream)
For the filling
  • 16 oz. farmer's cheese (cottage cheese)
  • 3 egg
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ⅔ cup currants
  • 3 tablespoons ground almonds
  • 3 tablespoons almonds slivered
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Dough
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a bowl, mix the yeast, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour in a small glass of warm water. Wait until the mixture doubles in volume.
  2. Whisk the eggs with half the sugar and salt, add the zest of citrus and set aside.
  3. Heat the milk and dissolve the remaining sugar.
  4. Place the flour in the bowl of the food processor. Add the whipped yolks and yeast. Mix at low speed.
  5. Gradually add milk and sugar, rum and vanilla. Knead for 2 minutes.
  6. Increase the speed to medium/high. Stir in butter gradually. The dough should absorb the butter. Reduce speed to medium. Knead about 10 to 15 minutes until the dough pulls away from sides of bowl.
  7. Put the dough in a large container, cover and let rise for about 5 hours in refrigerator. It should triple in volume.
  8. Remove dough from refrigerator.
  9. Degas the dough on a floured surface. Spread a circle of about ½ inch (1cm) thick dough and 8 inches (20cm) in diameter. Then form a long braid.
  10. Surround the edges of the circle of dough with this braid to form a kind of well where you will put the filling. Repeat until all the batter is used.
  11. Cover with a cloth and let rise again for about 25 minutes, while you are preparing the filling.
Filling
  1. Beat the eggs and sugar with electric beater at maximum speed until the mixture whitens and becomes firm.
  2. Lower speed to minimum. Gradually add cream, cottage cheese, cornstarch, sugar and salt.
  3. Finally add the currants, almonds, slivered almonds, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
Assembly and Baking
  1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
  2. Beat 2 egg yolks with a teaspoon of creme fraiche. Emulsify.
  3. Brush the surface of the dough with this emulsion.
  4. Pour the filling in the center of the dough.
  5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.