(Takes 2 days to make but it's worth the wait!)

4 egg yolks
3 c. sugar (or to taste - some use 2 cups)
1 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. butter
3 lb. hoop or Farmer's cheese
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 c. finely chopped, blanched almonds (optional)

On the 1st day:

Beat egg yolks with 1 cup of the sugar until they are pale and fluffy. Add milk, vanilla and heat the mixture very gently, stirring constantly, until it thickens; this may take up to 20 minutes. Add the butter and continue stirring until it melts. Cool the mix, whisking it occasionally to keep it smooth.

Press cheese through a sieve to remove any lumps and whip cream until it is stiff.

When sauce is cool, beat in remaining sugar, cheese, lemon peel and whipped cream. Almonds may be added at this point.

Line a colander with 2 pieces of muslin or 6-8 layers of cheese cloth, leaving enough around edge to be gathered and tied up. Pour paskha mixture into the lined colander, gather up the cloth around it, pull it together as tightly as you can and tie it firmly with string.

Put a plate on top of the paskha and place a weight on the plate (a cast iron saucepan should be heavy enough).

Stand the colander over a bowl or deep dish to catch the drips and put it away in a cool place for 24-36 hours. Quite a bit of liquid will drain off so you may want to drain some of the liquid away and discard it.

The Paskha is ready when it is firm enough to keep its shape or be cut in slices. Unwrap the paskha and turn it over carefully onto a plate. Decorate with candied fruit and blanched almonds. Slice it or serve it in wedges alone or with a yeast cake such as Kulich - Russian Easter Bread.

Keeps several days in refrigerator if it is well covered.