Syrnyk (Ukrainian Cheesecake)
User Reviews
4.9
Syrnyk (Ukrainian Cheesecake)
Description
Syrnyk begins with mixing eggs, farmer’s cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract or powder into a creamy, slightly coarse batter. Separately, a crumbly dough is prepared from flour, cooled butter, and sugar, which is pressed into a lined baking pan forming the base edges. Cherries or raisins are spread evenly over this base, and the cheese filling is spooned over the fruit layer, smoothing the top. Additional cherries or raisins are scattered on top before baking. The cake is baked until set, producing a dessert with a moist cheese center framed by a delicate crumbly crust, with bursts of fruit throughout.
The combination provides a balance between the tangy sweetness of the cherries or raisins and the mild creaminess of the farmer’s cheese. The texture is slightly crumbly yet moist, making syrnyk a distinctive cheesecake variation.
This cake fits well as a refreshing option for dessert that showcases Eastern European flavors.
Ingredients
- 1.8 lb cottage cheese (farmer’s cheese)
- 7 egg
- 10.5 oz sugar
- 1.3 lb flour
- 8.8 oz butter cooled
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla powder
- 1 lb Cherry pitted; or raisin
Instructions
- Mix the eggs and cheese in a large bowl. Add 4 oz (115 g) sugar and all the vanilla powder/extract. Mash everything together to get a homogeneous mixture. It doesn’t need to be silky smooth, just creamy.
- Mix the flour and cooled, chopped (or grated) butter in another bowl. Add the rest of the sugar. Start kneading the mixture with your hands.
- The dough should slightly hold together and be very crumbly.
- Cover your baking pan with parchment paper. Press the dough into the pan with your fingers. The dough may seem pretty dry, but it will absorb the moisture from the cheese and berries. Make a nice edge to make the finished cake look good.
- Place the cherries/raisins directly on the dough and spread them around evenly.
- Spoon over all the cheesecake filling and smooth it out. Do not mix the cherries into the cheesecake filling. Just scatter them around.
- Take the rest of the cherries/raisins and spread them over the top of the cheesecake.
- Place the cheesecake in the oven, preheated to 200°C/ 390 ºF and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake and let it sit for 30 minutes.
- Serve warm or cold, it’s up to you!
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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