Ingredients:

cheese - 1 kg
eggs - yolks 3
butter - 175 g
sugar - 175 g
grated rind of 1 lemon
vanilla extract - 1 tsp (5 ml)
whipped cream - 200 g
chopped candied fruits (optional) - 50 g
raisins (optional) - 50 g

Method:

Release water from cottage cheese. Beat up 3 yolks and 175g of sugar. Add 175g of butter, 200g of whipped cream, cottage cheese and mix thoroughly. Now put the mixture on the stove but do not lot let it boil. Add fruits, raisins and vanilla. Then place the mixture into the mold and leave in the refrigerator for 24 hours. When it becomes firm enough, take paskha out of the mold and enjoy!

Kulich is a sweet bread baked in a cylindrical shape. (You can use a clean coffee can to bake it in.) Kulich is eaten with paskha on Easter Sunday to break the Lenten Fast.

Ingredients:

flour - 500 g
yeast - 120 g
milk- 200 g
sugar - 150 g
eggs - 4
butter - 125 g
vegetable oil - 35 g
rum - 20 g
salt - 5 g
vanilla extract

Method:

Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water. Set aside. Boil milk and add flour. Mix it thouroughly and cool the mixture to 40C. Add yeast, sugar, and flour to the lukewarm milk. Mix into a smooth batter and set in a warm place for 2 -3 hours.

When batter is done resting, melt and warm the butter. Stir the sugar, salt, vanilla, and eggs into the butter and add to the batter. Knead for 30 minutes. Add rum and raisins and knead another 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl, and oil or butter the dough to prevent crust from forming. Leave it for 2-3- hours until it rises.

Roll the dough into balls and place each ball into a greased metal coffee can. Oil the top of the dough. Bake in the oven (350C). Baking time will vary depending on size of cans. When cake is done remove from pan and butter the crust. Place on baking rack to cool. Drizzle with glaze icing, if you wish.