Lvivskyi Syrnyk (Lviv Cheesecake)

Ingredients

• Farmer cheese (tvorog) 9% 1 kg
• Eggs, separated 5 large (250 g)
• Sugar 200 g
• Butter, soft 150 g
• Raisins 100 g
• Semolina 3 tbsp (30 g)
• Vanilla extract 1 tsp
• Lemon zest 1 lemon (5 g)
• Salt a pinch (1 g)
• Cocoa powder, for the glaze 3 heaped tbsp (25 g)
• Sugar, for the glaze 60 g
• Butter, for the glaze 40 g
• Sour cream (20%), for the glaze 60 g

Instructions

1. 1

   Press the farmer cheese twice through a fine sieve or pass it through a meat grinder until completely smooth.

2. 2

   Beat the soft butter with the sugar and the egg yolks until pale, then beat in the cheese, semolina, vanilla, lemon zest and salt; stir in the raisins.

3. 3

   Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold them gently into the cheese mixture.

4. 4

   Spread the mixture in a buttered 24 cm springform pan and bake at 170C for 55-60 minutes, until set and lightly golden.

5. 5

   Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside with the door ajar for 15 minutes, then cool it completely.

6. 6

   For the glaze, stir the cocoa, sugar, butter and sour cream in a small pan over low heat until smooth and simmer for 2 minutes, then cool slightly.

7. 7

   Pour the glaze over the cheesecake, spread it evenly and chill for at least 4 hours before slicing.