If you ever find yourself in Russia, full of borscht, craving a sweet treat and at a loose end, we’ve got you covered. Here are 10 IDEAL sweet treats to try in Russia that are certain to sedate your sweet tooth.
VATRUSHKA
This traditional Russian pastry is one of the country’s oldest sweets and according to culinary history, is believed to have been made by ancient Slavic tribes. A vatrushka is a round ring of dough traditionally filled with sweetened tvorog; a type of Russian cottage cheese. Cottage cheese in a sweet thing may sound strange, but yes, it totally works, especially when raisins or another type of dried fruit are added for flavour and textural fancy.
Vatrushka | © Steven Pavlov/ Wikicommons
KARTOSHKA
These humble no-bake cakes are one of the most famous Russian desserts. Dense, chocolatey and rich, they came into being as a result of Soviet food shortages. A nifty way to use leftovers from cakes, cookies, toast and gingerbread, public cafes would roll the uneaten crumbs into small potato shaped balls and mix condensed milk and cocoa into the mixture. The result was kartoshka. These are not to be confused with actual potatoes – the word Kartoshka means potato – but a standalone treat named as such for their shape.
PTICHYE MOLOKO
Also known as ‘bird’s milk cake’, this is Russia’s famous souffle-like cake, so beloved that in the Soviet era, it was the first cake to be awarded a patent. Bird’s milk is an ancient Greek idiom which means ‘an unobtainable delicacy’, and this melt-in-your-mouth pud is a delicacy indeed, with an airy, light souffle base, meringue and a marshmallow-like middle, all sandwiched between sweet spongy layers.
Bird’s Milk Cake | © Aliska/ Wikicommons
CHAK CHAK
Like Rice Krispie cakes, but not like the stuff you and your ma used to make on a rainy afternoon, Chak-Chak is fashioned from deep-fried dough and completely drenched with hot honey syrup. This one originally came from Tatarstan, a federal subject of the Russian Federation.
SYRNIKI
Another dessert with cottage cheese. Surprising to British palates perhaps, but maybe our Eastern comrades what scoff at cheesecakes. Don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried it, the lesson here, then. Syrniki are small cottage cheese pancakes that you’ll find all across Russia and Eastern Europe, served with jam and sometimes sour cream, they are enjoyed for breakfast or dessert – a most versatile and moresish treat, indeed.
Syrniki | © Yurii-mr/ Wikicommons
PASTILA
Loved in Imperial Russia and beyond, the pastila is a sweet made from whipped apples, eggs and sugar. Light and airy – some liken it to a marshmallow – it’s actually surprisingly healthy, using just a little light sugar and relying on the natural sweetness of the fruit.
MEDOVIK
Medovik is a soft and utterly scrumptious Russian honey cake, and could well be one of the best cakes you’ll ever taste. It’s certainly a favourite here at IDEAL. The cake has a history that dates back to the 1820’s, created by a personal chef for the wife of Russia’s Czar Alexander I – or so legend has it. This cake would have any Bake Off contestant in a sweet sweat – with layers of honey biscuit and tangy cream topped with crunchy walnuts, it’s a real showstopper.
Medovik | © insatiablemunch/ WikiCommons
ALENKA CHOCOLATE
The English have Cadbury, America has Hershey and Russia has Alenka. A legend of Russian confectionery, Alenka is the most recognised chocolate bar in the country and has been a favourite of many households for many generations. This milk chocolate bar,creamy and rich in taste, features a little girl on the wrapper wearing a multicolored scarf around her head. First produced in 1966 following a Kremlin directive to make a new brand of milk chocolate, a competition was held to find the right packaging for this new sweet. A photographer entered an image of his daughter, won, and became an iconic, household face. The rest is history.
SHARLOTKA CAKE
Wonderfully spongy and sweet, this cake-like apple dessert is wildly popular through Russia, and we can see why. In Soviet Russian households, when receiving ‘guests-at-the-doorstep’ – otherwise known as unexpected company – this cake was often knocked up. Quick and easy to make, all you need is to cut up some apples and make a simple cake mixture to pour over them, throw it in the oven and voila.
Shartoka | © FlankerFF / WikiCommons
TULA PRYANIK (GINGERBREAD)
If you have a sweet tooth you can’t come to Russia without sampling Tula Pryanik – a type of imprinted Russian gingerbread decorated with sugary drawings. Dating back to the 17th Century and originating in the city of Tula, it’s probably the most famous Russian sweet of all. Although today the recipe for Tula Pryanik is widely known, back in the day there were lots of Tula Pryanik bakers and each had a secret recipe – incredibly long, complicated and closely guarded. These were exclusively passed to heirs, and survive in families to this day. There are various prints found on Tula gingerbread including holiday and personal greetings and also historical displays – gingerbread lasts for ages so it’s also the ideal souvenir.