Brânzoici, Romanian sweet cheese parcels

Name: Brânzoici, Romanian sweet cheese parcels
Ingredients: 1 kg flour; 10 g yeast; 2 egg yolks; 2 tablespoons sugar; zest of 1 lemon; juice of 1/2 lemon; 2 tablespoons oil; 250 ml milk; 1/2 teaspoon salt; up to 100 ml water; 750 g farmer’s cheese; 3 eggs; 200 g powdered sugar; 1-2 tablespoons semolina; 50 g raisins optional; 10 ml rum essence; 30 g water for the raisins; zest of 1 lemon; 1 egg

Dessert - Brânzoici, Romanian sweet cheese parcels by Lorelei M. - Recipia

Well-drained farmer’s cheese is tucked neatly into little parcels called brânzoici. The yeast dough bakes up fluffy and golden on top, with a soft, sweet center flavored with lemon zest and rum; where I’m from, they were also called “pupi cu scoasă”. I let them cool a little before eating. Preparation: 60 minutes. Cooking: 27 minutes. Resting: 40 minutes. Total time: 127 minutes. Servings: 12. Approximately 530 kcal and 23 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

For the dough

1 kg flour
10 g yeast
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons oil
250 ml milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
up to 100 ml water

For the filling

750 g farmer’s cheese
3 eggs
200 g powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons semolina
50 g raisins optional
10 ml rum essence
30 g water for the raisins
zest of 1 lemon

For brushing

1 egg

Preparation

1. Sift the flour into a bowl. Warm the milk over low heat for 2 minutes, until lukewarm, then mix it with the salt, sugar and yeast. Add 1 tablespoon of flour, cover the bowl and leave the mixture for 10 minutes, until frothy. 2. Make a well in the flour and add the zest of 1 lemon, the juice of half a lemon, the egg yolks and the oil. Mix, drawing in a little flour, then pour in the milk and yeast mixture. Knead for 15 minutes by hand or in a stand mixer; if the dough is too firm, gradually add up to 100 ml water. It should be fluffy and not stick to your hands. 3. Cover the bowl and leave the dough somewhere warm for 30 minutes, until visibly risen. Meanwhile, soak the raisins for 10 minutes in 10 ml rum essence, then drain them. 4. Mash the cheese with a fork or mixer and mix it with the eggs, powdered sugar, the zest of 1 lemon and the remaining 5 ml rum essence. Taste the filling. If the cheese is soft, mix in 1-2 tablespoons semolina; add the raisins if using. 5. Heat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and roll it into a sheet about 0.5 cm thick. Cut it into 10 x 10 cm squares. 6. Put a tablespoon of filling in the middle of each square. Bring up and pinch the corners together, twist the dough and seal it well, without leaving the cheese exposed. Arrange the parcels on the tray seam-side down and brush them with the beaten egg. 7. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden on top.

Notes

Where I’m from, they were called “pupi cu scoasă”; the raisins are optional, and the dough and filling contain gluten, dairy and eggs. Choose well-drained farmer’s cheese with a fine texture so it mixes easily. Grate only the yellow part of the lemon peel, as the white pith underneath can make the filling bitter. I start about two hours before the meal, and when I double the amount, I divide the dough between two bowls to rise. They keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days; I serve them with black tea.