Easter Cheese Recipes

Steps:

• Crack eggs into a large saucepan and beat with a whisk. Whisk in milk, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Cook over medium-low to low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture fully forms curds and the whey separates. This will take 20 to 30 minutes. Using higher heat or failing to stir will result in a big pan of sweet scrambled eggs.
• Drain the mixture into a colander lined with several layers of cheese cloth. Use the cloth to shape into a ball and twist the top to remove excess moisture. Secure with a twist tie. Hang for several hours or overnight. I do it on the spigot of the kitchen sink (which would probably wig out the germ police, but I haven't gotten botulism in 34 years). Of course, you could let it drain initially there and then finish it overnight in the fridge suspended over a deep bowl.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese or farmer's cheese, sugar, cream cheese, and egg yolks, stirring to mix.
• In batches, process the mixture in a food processor, adding an equal amount of cream to each batch, until completely smooth. Transfer back to the bowl.
• Stir in the ground almonds, lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them to the cheese mixture along with the raisins. Mix thoroughly.
• Line a clean, unused 8-cup flower pot with a double layer of rinsed and squeezed-dry cheesecloth. Spoon the cheese mixture into the lined pan, then fold the ends of the cheesecloth neatly over the top. Place a saucer on the cheesecloth, then a 2-pound weight, such as a can, on the saucer. Put the flower pot in a bowl large enough for the liquid to drain into. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
• Empty the bowl. Unmold the pashka onto a serving plate and carefully remove the cheesecloth. Decorate with candied fruit, pressing some of the fruit into the pashka to form the letters XP, which stands for Khristos voskres ("Christ has risen").

Steps:

• Pour milk into saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Beat eggs slightly and add gradually to milk.
• Cook over low heat for about seven minutes.
• Add salt, pepper, and vanilla, stir continually so mixture will not scorch.
• Pour mixture into a linen towel or cheesecloth, squeeze and tie tightly.
• Hang and let dry for two hours.
• Cover with a wet napkin and place in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Put all ingredients into the bowl of a mixer, and blend thoroughly. Form into an egg-like chick shape, and refrigerate until firm, about an hour. Before serving, roll the cheese ball in shredded cheese (this will look like feathers). Use a whole almond for the chick's beak, raisins for eyes and slivers of carrot or orange peppers for the feet. Serve with crackers or crudites.
• The results are at once delightful and delicious; don't expect the little guy to last very long.

Steps:

• Measure milk into a bowl, and set over a saucepan filled half way with simmering water. Heat until warm to the touch, then gradually start cracking eggs into the milk while stirring almost constantly. This will scorch very easily. Continue to stir slowly once all of the eggs are in, until the mixture resembles scrambled eggs.
• Pour into a cheesecloth bag and tie tightly. Hang from the sink faucet or over a bowl and allow to drain for 1 to 2 hours. Place on a cooling rack set over a pan or bowl and set a heavy object on top to press out the liquid. A cool cast iron skillet weighted with heavy cans works well. Press for about 2 hours.
• Carefully remove the weights and cheesecloth bag from the cheese. Refrigerate the cheese for several hours or overnight before slicing and serving.

Steps:

• Make a cheesecloth bag that's 4 layers thick, and about 12" long by 6 1/2 " wide. The bottom 8" or so should taper to a point.
• Place the cottage cheese into a colander, over a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place a weight on top. Let it drain for 2 - 3 hours.
• Using an electric mixer, mix all the ingredients until they're well blended.
• Place the cheesecloth bag in a large bowl, with the seems facing out. Pack the mixture in the bag, to about 4" from the top of the cheesecloth. Twist the top, and tie it being careful not to get it so tight that you're forcing the cheese out of the pores of the bag.
• Cover a sheet pan with plastic, then place the filled cheese bag on top. Place the bag so that the seem is in the center of the back, and front, it should almost look like a heart. One end of this sheet pan should be elevated to permit the cheese to drain. You can use either a bowl , or 2 coffee cups to do this. Place a bowl underneath the bottom of the cheese, to catch the liquid that will drain out.
• Cover the cheese with another piece of plastic wrap, and set another sheet pan on top. Carefully place a weight on top of the top pan. But, be careful because the cheese is real soft and the top pan will want to slide off once the weight is on it.
• Store in a cool place, or in your refrigerator for 3 days, being sure to check it so that the weight doesn't fall off. My Mom used to let this rest in the basement, because it was nice and cool, and she used a Belgian Brick that we would have to check now and then to insure that it didn't fall off.
• When the cheese has dried out, cut off the cheesecloth bag with scissors, carefully so as not to break up the cheese. The cheese should be real firm to the touch. Place it flat on a platter, and store in your refrigerator until Easter morning.
• If you haven't gotten enough moisture out of the cheese, you will have a cheese that won't stay together.
• You can start this process a full week before Easter.

Steps:

• Mix together cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, and dressing mix in a bowl until well combined.
• Form into a large egg-shaped ball in the center of a serving plate.
• Cut wax paper into strips. Lay them across the cheese ball, leaving spaces every two strips where the cheese is exposed. Sprinkle chopped chives on the exposed cheese, lightly pressing the chives down so they stick to the cheese. Remove the wax paper strips directly below the chives. Cover the newly exposed cheese stripes with bacon bits. Repeat by removing the final set of wax paper strips and adding chopped pecans in the remaining spaces.
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Steps:

• Combine farmer cheese, cream cheese, butter, and egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; mix on low speed to combine. Add sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, lemon zest, and orange zest; mix until Paska mixture is smooth.
• Line a sieve with dampened cheesecloth, leaving an overhang on all sides. Place over a plate that will catch any additional liquid that drains out.
• Spoon Paska mixture into cheesecloth. Fold the ends of the cheesecloth over the mixture. Cover with a plate and set a heavy weight on top.
• Chill until Paska is firm, overnight to 24 hours.
• Remove weighted plate and unfold cheesecloth ends. Use cheesecloth ends to lift Paska out. Invert onto a plate and peel away cheesecloth.