Russian Cheese Babka

This isn’t the yeasted babka you might be picturing. Russian cheese babka is actually a pashka, a traditional no-bake Easter dessert where sweetened cheese gets studded with candied fruits, drained overnight in a mold, and served as a dense, creamy confection that slices like a terrine.

Cream cheese and cottage cheese beaten together with butter create the rich, smooth base. The combination gives you both the tang of fresh cheese and the body needed to hold its shape once unmolded. Sugar, vanilla, and generous amounts of orange and lemon zest brighten the dairy richness with citrus perfume.

Candied cherries, candied pineapple, golden raisins, and optional almonds get folded in for bursts of color and sweetness throughout. Every slice reveals a mosaic of jewel-toned fruits against the white cheese.

The flowerpot mold lined with dampened cheesecloth is the traditional method. As the mixture drains overnight in the refrigerator, excess moisture seeps out through the cloth, firming the cheese into a solid dome that unmolds cleanly. The longer it drains, the firmer and more sliceable it becomes.

Kitchen Tips

• Beat the cream cheese and cottage cheese until completely smooth before adding anything else; lumps won’t disappear later
• Use a clean, unglazed terra cotta flower pot with a drainage hole for authentic presentation
• Dampen the cheesecloth before lining so it clings to the mold and doesn’t wrinkle into the surface
• Drain for at least overnight; two days produces an even firmer, more traditional texture

Variations

• Chocolate pashka: Add cocoa powder to the cheese mixture for a chocolate version
• Dried cranberry: Swap the candied fruits for dried cranberries and pistachios for a more modern take
• Ricotta base: Use ricotta cheese in place of cottage cheese for a smoother, Italian-influenced texture