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Kohupiimakorbid

Kohupiimakorbid (Curd Cheese Pastries)

Delicious and nostalgic whilst surprisingly easy to make. Best fresh on the day of baking. Based on the recipe by Ragne Värk from www.kokkama.ee.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Estonian, Russian
Servings 15 pastries

Ingredients
  

Enriched Dough

  • 250 ml milk
  • 25 g fresh yeast
  • 100 g granulated sugar
  • 5 g fine salt
  • 480 - 500 g all-purpose flour
  • 100 g room temperature softened butter

Curd Cheese Filling

  • 450 g curd cheese (also called farmer's cheese, tvorog or kohupiim in Estonian)
  • 1.5 tsp vanilla sugar
  • 75 g granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

For Brushing the Pastries

  • 1 egg beaten

For a Final Touch

  • powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 200° C. Warm the milk until lukewarm, about 37 degrees.
  • In a separate large bowl, mix the the fresh yeast and 100 grams of sugar until incorporated.
  • Pour the milk into the yeast and sugar mixture while stirring. Mix and let it sit for about 30 seconds.
  • Add the all-purpose flour and salt, and then the softened butter, kneading well. It starts off as a rather shaggy and sticky dough but knead until the dough becomes smooth and does not stick to your hands and the bowl anymore. If needed, add more flour.
  • Let the dough rise in a warm place under a towel until doubled, for about an hour*.
  • To make the filling, mix the necessary ingredients until smooth.
  • Once the dough has risen, form it into small balls (about 60 - 65 grams)** and place on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Let the the dough balls prove under a towel for about 15 minutes.
  • After proving, using the bottom of a round glass, press a well in the dough balls that will hold the filling. The well should be quite deep. Brush the edges with the beaten egg mixture. Fill the wells with the curd cheese mixture. Use around 2 - 3 tablespoons of filling per pastry.
    Kohupiimakorbid before oven
  • Bake at 200° C for about 15 - 18 minutes or until golden brown on the sides.
    Kohupiimakorp baked
  • Let them cool slightly before diving right into them. If you wish, lightly sprinkle some powdered sugar on them. Enjoy!
    Kohupiimakorbid out the oven

Notes

* The dough rises best in a 50 degree oven.
** Here's a video on how to make uniform dough balls (unlike the ones I made and are on the pictures). 
Keyword curd cheese, pastry