Paskha | No-Bake Easter Farmer Cheese Dessert in a Mold

Wrap the curd in cheesecloth and place it in a strainer. Set a plate and a full water bottle on top, then refrigerate the strainer over a bowl. Put the raisins in a separate bowl of hot water. Continue when the curd is dry enough that squeezing it in your palm releases no water.

Press the drained curd through a fine sieve with the back of a spoon, then make the second pass. After 2 passes, the curd will lose its graininess and look glossy, like cream, on the spoon.

Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and cream together in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, to 82–84°C / 180–183°F; the custard should thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon. The yolks cook through at this temperature, so the dessert does not contain raw egg. If the custard exceeds 85°C / 185°F, it will become grainy.

Set the custard bowl over a bowl of ice water and stir until the custard feels cool on the back of your hand. Hot custard will melt the butter and cause the paskha to release fat in the mold.

Beat the room-temperature butter with the cooled custard until smooth, then gradually work the mixture into the sieved curd. Add the lemon zest. Drain and pat the raisins dry, then fold them in with the chopped candied peel and almonds using a spatula.

Line a 1.2-liter mold with drainage holes, or a clean strainer, with two layers of damp cheesecloth, leaving the edges hanging over the sides. Press in the mixture, fold the cheesecloth over it, and place a plate and a full water bottle on top. Refrigerate the mold over a bowl to collect the drained liquid.

Remove the weight and unfold the cheesecloth. Cover the mold with a serving plate, turn it over, and slowly peel away the cheesecloth. Decorate the paskha with whole almonds and pieces of candied peel. Serve chilled and keep refrigerated except while serving.