Syrnyk Part 1: Crust
Syrnyk, from the Ukrainian word SYR (cheese), makes an appearance every Easter. Our version is baked in a crispy sweet pastry crust filled with a three cheese blend and wine soaked raisins. The cheese blend consists of a Euro style cream cheese, Lithuanian cheese and Deluxe Bakers’ cheese all available through Future Bakery in Toronto. The recipe is designed for sharing. You will have plenty to give away.
Ingredients:
200 grams unsalted butter
100 grams granulated sugar
3 Ex-large egg yolks
300 grams All Purpose flour
flour for dusting
Equipment:
Kitchen Aid mixer with paddle attachment
parchment paper
spring form pans
plastic wrap
heavy duty aluminum foil
measuring cups/scale
rolling pin
6 cups dried beans
Step 1: Making Syrnyk Crust
Place softened butter into a mixing bowl. Using the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter while adding the sugar slowly #4 speed.
Once sugar has incorporated with the butter, increase speed to #6 speed.
Continue beating for 2 minutes or longer until light and fluffy.
TIP: Creaming refers to mixing the butter and sugar together until well blended, resulting in a light and fluffy mixture.
Scrape down the sides.
Add 3 egg yolks to the mixing bowl, one at a time with machine running constantly.
Add flour, 1 cup at a time, until all the flour is incorporated and pastry pulls away from the bowl.
Divide pastry into 3 portions, according to the size of your spring form pan.
Wrap each piece of pastry dough and refrigerate overnight or label and freeze till you are ready to use.
Step 2: Preparing Spring Form Pans
PREPARING PARCHMENT LINER: trace a circle 2” larger in diameter than the baking vessel. Snip a 2” fringe around the edge of the parchment paper. Set aside.
LINING SPRING FORM PANS: Trace the size of your spring form base on the parchment provided. Cut out the base. With a dollop of butter, “glue” the parchment circle to the base of the spring form pan. Cut out strips of parchment to line the sides of the pan, glue with butter.
Step 3: Lining the Rolled Pastry
Place a sheet of plastic wrap on the work surface. Dust the dough with flour. Place the dough onto the sheet of plastic wrap. Flatten with your hand. Place a second piece of plastic flat over the dough.
With a rolling pin, roll from the centre out.
Rotate the dough and keep rolling until you have reached a desirable size, with an overhang of 4-5 centimetres larger than the base of your springform pan.
Remove top layer of the plastic wrap from the dough. Place the rolling pin at one edge of the dough. Roll the prepared dough with the plastic wrap. Unroll the pastry into the prepared spring form pan. Press the dough lightly onto the bottom, carefully press towards the edge of the pan and secure the sides of the pastry dough with your finger tips. Remove plastic wrap. If dough breaks, simply patch with your fingers. Mend the cracks with extra pastry. At this point freeze for later use or refrigerate for 1 hour.
TIP: Trace the base of the spring form pan onto the parchment as a guide
TIP: Overlap the plastic wrap as a base to create a larger work surface.
TIP: Rolling tips. Roll the pastry from the centre to the edges. Keep it circular. Push the sides in occasionally by hand, if necessary. Lift the rolling pin slightly as you near the edges to avoid making them too thin.
Step 4: Baking the crust
Pre-heat oven to 330°F. Pull chilled dough from refrigerator. Place fringed parchment paper ontop of dough. Place dried beans over the parchment paper, spread evenly.
TIP: Chill dough well to prevent shrinking.
TIP: Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are golden, this is recommended timing for a basic household oven.
TIP: Parchment should pull away from the dough easily. If sticking bake a little longer.
Cool for 15 minutes. Remove beans. Remove parchment.
Step 5: Preparing the pans for the water bath
Cut heavy duty aluminium foil into 2 sheets large enough to wrap sides of pan. Press foil firmly along the sides of the pan carefully to avoid tears. This will create a barrier and should not allow water to seep into your cheesecake. Place spring form pans into the baking pan set for the water bath.
TIP: Syrnyk crust can be prepared two days ahead. Set aside.
We hope you had a lovely Palm Sunday and look forward to seeing your syrnyk and paska creations! Don’t forget to tag us @lemonmeringuestudio and support our friends at Future Bakery - they deliver!
- Sonia & Slava
