Irina Georgescu’s Pască Recipe

This cheesecake-filled brioche comes from the cookbook "Carpathia" by Irina
Georgescu. It can be found on pg. 155 of the book. This recipe has been shared
with the author's permission.

"This cheesecake is our equivalent of eating chocolate eggs for Easter and it's
baked only for this occasion. Baskets of food, with Cozonac, painted eggs, and
pască are lined up at church on the eve of Easter Sunday for the priest's
blessing during the sunrise service. They are then taken home and shared with
loved ones in a delicious feast, ending the fasting period. For me, breathing in
the scent of this cake is a moment of happiness. Buttery and sweet, it is a
powerful reminder of the meaning of Easter, when we rejoice and indulge in
celebrations."

Servings: 6

Author:

Prep Time
2 hours

Cook Time
30 minutes

Resting Time
4 hours

Course:

Dessert

Cuisine:

Romanian

Instructions

1 To make the brioche dough, put the flour, milk, yeast, and sugar into the bowl
of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on medium speed until well
combined, then add the eggs one by one and mix again. When the dough starts to
come away from the sides of the bowl, start adding the butter, dice by dice,
ensuring that each addition is well incorporated. Cover and leave to rise in a
warm place (over 70℉/21℃) for 1½-2 hours. It will be too soft to work with at
this stage–refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight and it will be ready to roll.
2 To make the filling, thoroughly combine all the ingredients together to form a
smooth mixture.
3 Divide the dough in two. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease a
10 inch (25 cm) cake ring or springform pan with its base removed. Using a a
rolling pin, roll half of the dough into a circle slightly larger than the ring
or pan, and place it onto the baking sheet. Place the ring or pan on top of the
pastry circle (you will trim the excess later).
4 Divide the remaining half of the dough in two. Roll into two ropes, measuring
about 34 inches (87 cm) long. Loosely twist the dough ropes together, leaving
room for the dough to expand. Place inside the ring or pan, creating a beautiful
twisted border around the sides.
5 Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃). Brush the twisted border with the egg wash,
then pour the filling inside the border. Scatter the orange zest on top and dot
with the diced butter.
6 Bake for 25-30 minutes until the filling is soft and wobbly in the middle. If
the dough becomes too dark during baking, cover with foil. Cool on a wire rack
before trimming any excess dough outside the cake ring. Remove the cake ring by
running a knife along its edge to loosen it, then lift away. If using a
springform pan, simply open it to release from the cake.
7 Serve for dessert or as a treat for breakfast. If you have any raisins left,
scatter them on top.

Irina Georgescu’s Pască Recipe

Course:

Cuisine:

🧂 Ingredients

Instructions

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