Quark Paskha

📝 Ingredients

• 1 kg 3% fat quark (2 tubs of 500 g)
• 2 egg yolks
• 50 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 70 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 80 g raisins
• 1 orange (finely grated zest and 3 tbsp juice)
• 20 g flaked almonds

🍴 Utensils

• Colander and clean thin tea towel (or muslin)
• Large mixing bowl
• Small saucepan
• Frying pan
• Whisk
• Fine grater

📖 Steps

1. The day before, set the colander over the mixing bowl and line it with the damp thin tea towel. Pour in the quark, fold the cloth over, place a plate and a weight (a tin) on top and leave to drain for 12 hours in the fridge: it should lose about 300 ml of whey and become firm.
2. On the day, finely grate the orange zest, taking only the coloured part (the white pith underneath is bitter), then squeeze out 3 tbsp juice. Rinse the raisins, soak them in this juice for 15 minutes to plump up, then drain.
3. In the small saucepan, off the heat, whisk the yolks, sugar and milk until the mixture turns pale. Heat gently for 3 to 4 minutes, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens and coats the spoon, without ever letting it boil: the yolks would turn lumpy.
4. Off the heat, add the vanilla extract and leave the custard to cool for 10 minutes, stirring now and then. This brief cooking avoids serving raw yolks, while keeping it a no-bake dessert.
5. Discard the whey, then tip the drained quark into the rinsed bowl. Whisk for 1 minute until very smooth and fold in the cooled egg yolk custard. Add the raisins and zest and stir with a spoon until evenly distributed.
6. Rinse and wring out the tea towel, then use it to line the colander again (or a new terracotta flowerpot, for the traditional pyramid shape), letting the edges hang over. Pour in the mixture, pack it down with the back of a spoon to remove any air and fold the cloth over.
7. Set the colander back over the bowl, cover with a plate and a light weight, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours, ideally 24 hours. The paskha keeps draining and firms up enough to hold its shape when turned out.
8. Before serving, toast the flaked almonds in the dry frying pan for 2 to 3 minutes over a medium heat, stirring, until lightly golden. Tip them straight onto a plate to cool: left in the hot pan, they burn quickly.
9. Open the cloth, turn the paskha out onto a serving plate and carefully peel off the tea towel. Decorate with the toasted almonds, in a cross or a ring as tradition dictates, and serve well chilled, cut into 6 portions.