Russian pashka
SERVES 6-8 PREP TIME 10 MINUTES (PLUS REFRIGERATION TIME)
250g cream cheese, softened 250g fresh ricotta 1 cup (220g) caster sugar 250g sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract finely grated rind of 1 lemon finely grated rind of 1 orange ½ cup (80g) sultanas ½ cup (40g) flaked almonds, toasted
1 Beat the cream cheese, ricotta and sugar until smooth. Add the sour cream, vanilla and citrus rind. Stir in sultanas. 2 Line a wire conical sieve (20cm across, 14cm deep) or small colander with muslin. Spoon cream cheese mixture into sieve. Cover and place over a bowl; refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. 3 Invert the Pashka onto a serving plate, remove muslin and decorate with almonds. You can also use dried fruit and flowers if you wish. Not suitable to freeze.