The curd is the base of the cheesecakes, so its texture is important
Eugene Klopotenko, a famous Ukrainian restaurateur and chef, has repeatedly emphasised in interviews that cheesecakes are one of the most difficult dishes in Ukrainian cuisine. However, even this dish can be mastered and cooked like a real professional.
Ukrainian cheesniki are not just delicious, but also a unique dish. However, in social networks you can often see two categories of people: some already perfectly master the art of their preparation, while others still can not achieve the perfect result. Remember the secrets of cooking this popular dish, so that you can easily prepare cheesecakes even every day.
Let’s start with tips from chefs. One of the main rules they always emphasise is to avoid excess moisture.
Tvorog should be both fatty, but without excess moisture, explains Valeria Matrokhina, winner of MasterChef 12. The optimal option is cottage cheese with a fat content of 9-12%, best resembling homemade. If there is a choice between shop and having a natural composition, give preference to the first, as it is usually more homogeneous. The moisture, that is, whey, can be easily removed by squeezing it. You can do this through a wafer towel or gauze if no towel is available. Lactose-free curd can also be used, following the same rule.
The curd is the base of the cheesecakes, so its texture is important. If you like it gritty, you can use cottage cheese with lumps, which is sold in packets. However, in the experience of chefs, cheesecakes made of hard grainy curd do not always succeed in tasting good, because these large particles are strongly felt in the structure. In addition, such cheesecakes are difficult to shape as they can fall apart, so you have to add more flour, which affects their tenderness.
Vladimir Yaroslavsky, owner of the restaurant “Sto rokiv togo forward”, explained that for the perfect texture of cheesecakes it is important to mix the curd mass well to homogeneity. This can be done with a fork or, even better, with a mallet. However, he also advises not to stir for too long, because the curd should not become pasty. In his social networks, he notes that cottage cheese that turns into a paste does not give that very “grandmotherly” cheesnik. Therefore, lumps are important. The product should be quickly mixed, form balls, roll in flour, shake off the excess and fry. The choice of method is left to you, depending on what result you want to get.
Sugar is often the cause of burning cheesecakes because it quickly caramelises and starts to burn. To avoid this, you should use a minimum amount of sugar, as it melts during frying and makes the batter runny. This can lead not only to burning, but also to the fact that the cheesecakes will blur and separate. In addition, overheating the pan can be another cause of burning, so it is better to fry the cheesecakes over medium heat.
Sometimes chefs don’t add proteins to the cheesecakes at all, relying only on the yolks for the main job. You can do the same, as using whole eggs makes the batter less viscous. If you add only the yolk, however, the consistency will be thicker. However, the protein fulfils its important role – during frying, it helps to keep the shape of the cheesecakes. Therefore, you should be guided by the type of cottage cheese you use. You can also completely replace eggs – for example, bananas are often used as an alternative. For 400g of cottage cheese, one medium ripe banana will do.
