Cozy Baked Cottage Cheese Pudding with Raisins

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 8 slices
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 500 g farmer’s cheese/tvorog (or well-drained cottage cheese)
• 2 large eggs
• 70 g granulated sugar (about 1/3 cup)
• 60 g fine semolina (about 1/3 cup)
• 120 ml whole milk (1/2 cup), warmed
• 40 g unsalted butter, softened (about 3 tbsp), plus extra for the pan
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp baking powder (optional, for lift)
• 60 g raisins (1/2 cup), soaked and patted dry
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (optional)
• To serve: sour cream; quick berry sauce (200 g berries, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice)

Do This

• 1) Heat oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter an 20 cm/8-inch square or 23 cm/9-inch round pan; dust with semolina.
• 2) Soak raisins in hot water 5 minutes; drain. Stir semolina into warm milk; rest 10 minutes.
• 3) Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest.
• 4) Mix in tvorog until mostly smooth. Stir in baking powder (optional) and the soaked semolina.
• 5) Fold in raisins. Spread batter in pan; smooth top.
• 6) Bake 40 minutes until set and lightly golden. Cool 10–15 minutes, slice, and serve with sour cream and berry sauce.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Slavic comfort: tender, lightly sweet, and wonderfully sliceable.
• Balanced texture: creamy curds with delicate body from semolina.
• Family-friendly and make-ahead friendly—great warm or chilled.
• Lovely with cool sour cream and a bright, tangy berry sauce.

Grocery List

• Produce: Lemon (for zest), fresh or frozen mixed berries
• Dairy: Farmer’s cheese/tvorog (or well-drained cottage cheese), eggs, unsalted butter, whole milk, sour cream
• Pantry: Semolina, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, raisins, fine salt, baking powder (optional)

Full Ingredients

For the zapekanka

• 500 g farmer’s cheese/tvorog (sub: well-drained full-fat cottage cheese pressed dry)
• 2 large eggs
• 70 g granulated sugar (about 1/3 cup)
• 60 g fine semolina (about 1/3 cup)
• 120 ml whole milk (1/2 cup), warmed
• 40 g unsalted butter, softened (about 3 tbsp)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp baking powder (optional, for a lighter crumb)
• 60 g raisins (1/2 cup), soaked in hot water 5 minutes, drained and patted dry
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (optional)

For the pan

• 1 tsp unsalted butter, for greasing
• 1 tbsp semolina, for dusting

For serving

• Cold sour cream (smetana), to taste

Quick tangy berry sauce (optional, makes about 3/4 cup)

• 200 g mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the oven, pan, and soakers

Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F with a rack in the center. Butter an 20 cm/8-inch square or 23 cm/9-inch round baking pan, then dust with semolina and tap out the excess. Put the raisins in a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 5 minutes; drain and pat dry. In a separate bowl, stir the semolina into the warm milk and let stand for 10 minutes to hydrate.

Step 2: Cream butter and sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the sugar until light and creamy, about 1–2 minutes with a hand mixer (or vigorously by hand). This step helps distribute fat evenly for a tender crumb.

Step 3: Add eggs, vanilla, and tvorog

Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, salt, and lemon zest if using. Add the farmer’s cheese/tvorog and mix until mostly smooth. If your cheese is very coarse, mash it with a fork first or pulse briefly with an immersion blender for a finer texture—some small curd flecks are traditional and lovely.

Step 4: Fold in semolina and raisins

Stir the baking powder (if using) into the hydrated semolina, then fold this mixture into the batter until evenly combined. Fold in the drained raisins. The batter should be thick but spreadable.

Step 5: Bake until just set

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 38–45 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the center is just set with a slight jiggle. An instant-read thermometer should read about 72–75°C (162–167°F) in the center, or a thin knife inserted near the center should come out without wet curds.

Step 6: Rest, slice, and serve

Cool in the pan on a rack for 10–15 minutes to help it firm up. Slice into squares or wedges. Serve warm with a generous spoonful of cool sour cream.

Step 7: Make the quick berry sauce (optional)

While the zapekanka bakes or cools, combine berries, sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 3–5 minutes, stirring, until the berries slump and the juices are glossy. Serve warm or at room temperature over each slice.

Pro Tips

• For the best texture, use dry, crumbly farmer’s cheese. If using cottage cheese, drain it in a sieve and press out excess liquid; too much moisture can make the pudding dense.
• Hydrating semolina in warm milk ensures a tender, cohesive slice—do not skip the 10-minute soak.
• Want it extra fluffy? Separate the eggs, mix yolks into the batter, and fold in the whites whipped to soft peaks at the end.
• Prevent sticking and get golden edges by greasing and dusting the pan with semolina.
• Do not overbake. Pull it when just set; it finishes gently as it stands, staying moist and creamy.

Variations

• Lemon-poppy: Add 1 tbsp poppy seeds and increase lemon zest to 2 tsp; swap raisins for dried cranberries.
• Apple-cinnamon: Fold in 1 small apple (peeled, finely diced) and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; keep or omit raisins.
• Gluten-free: Replace the 60 g semolina with 30 g fine rice flour + 30 g cornstarch; no soaking needed—add the milk directly to the batter.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Cool completely, cover, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat slices at 160°C/325°F for 10–12 minutes or in a skillet with a dab of butter until warmed through and lightly crisped. Freeze slices (well wrapped) for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. To make ahead, the batter can be assembled up to 12 hours in advance; cover and refrigerate. If it thickens too much, stir in 1–2 tbsp milk before baking.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 8 slices: 230 kcal; 10 g fat; 23 g carbohydrates; 13 g protein; 160 mg sodium. About 9 g added sugar; total sugars about 18 g. Values will vary based on brands and substitutions.