Maria Nikolaevna’s Paskha

• 2½ cups sugar (preferably vanilla sugar)*
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1</

Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until light and thick. In a separate bowl, cream the butter until smooth, then add the beaten sugar and egg yolks, mixing well.

Press the tvorog through a fine sieve, then mix it in well with the butter mixture, beating until the mixture is completely smooth. Slit the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds out into the mixture. Stir in