Ingredients: 1 vanilla bean (6 to 8 inches) 1 cup (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature 1/2 cup sugar 1 carton (16 ounces) ricotta cheese 2 tablespoons finely chopped candied orange peel Directions:1. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife and scrape out black seeds. 2. In a bowl with a mixer, beat vanilla seeds, butter, cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add ricotta and orange peel; beat until blended. 3. Line a deep 5-cup mold with two layers of damp cheesecloth (if making more than 2 hours ahead, use a mold with a bottom drain - see Notes - to get a firmer cheese). Spoon paskha mixture into cloth and pack down firmly. Set on a rack on a rimmed dish. 4. Cover airtight and chill until paskha is firm enough to hold its shape, at least 1 hour. 5. Lift cloth with paskha from mold. Peel back cloth, invert cheese onto a flat plate and remove cloth. |