Desserts
Papanași with sour cream and sour-cherry jam
AI-generated serving image
This image was created with the help of artificial intelligence and serves as visual inspiration or a serving suggestion. The actual result may vary depending on the ingredients, quantities and preparation used.
Fried fresh-cheese rings topped with a small dough ball, cool sour cream and sour-cherry jam. Dry unsalted curd cheese matters for this Romanian dessert. Soft dessert quark and salty feta are not equivalent ingredients.
Timing
- Preparation: about 25 minutes, including about 5 minutes during resting
- Dough resting: 20 minutes
- Frying: about 20 minutes for several batches
- Total time: about 1 hour using already drained cheese
Estimated nutrition
per serving · Calculated for 4 servings.
- Energy
- ≈ 535 kcal
- Protein
- ≈ 16.5 g
- Carbohydrates
- ≈ 61.7 g
- Fat
- ≈ 23.4 g
The nutrition values are estimates based on the ingredients and quantities used. Actual values may vary depending on the product, portion size and preparation.
Calculation basis
Item weights and household measures are estimated. Unless specified: milk with 1.5% fat, cream with 30% fat and Gouda cheese. Optional ingredients, small amounts of seasoning and separately listed side dishes are excluded. For imprecise entries, the amounts below and comparable reference products are assumed. For alternatives, the first listed ingredient is used. Cooking losses have not been measured.
Dry curd cheese uses a medium-fat quark comparison; actual drained cheese may differ. All 20%-fat sour cream and jam are included. Assumed absorbed oil is 40 g for four servings, excluding remaining oil.
Quantity assumptions and ingredient mapping
- 300 g dry brânză de vaci curd cheese, already well drained · ≈ 300.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 170 g plain wheat flour, including 20 g for shaping · ≈ 170.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 1 medium egg · ≈ 50.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 35 g sugar · ≈ 35.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 8 g vanilla sugar · ≈ 8.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 160 g sour cream with about 20% fat · ≈ 160.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 120 g sour-cherry jam · ≈ 120.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 1 litre neutral oil for deep-frying, not all absorbed · ≈ 40.0 g
Matvaretabellen: Mattilsynet · Santa Maria
Food data: Max Rubner-Institut, BLS 4.0 (2025), CC BY 4.0. Calculated and rounded for this recipe. BLS 4.0 · CC BY 4.0
Ingredients
- 300 g dry brânză de vaci curd cheese, already well drained
- 170 g plain wheat flour, including 20 g for shaping
- 1 medium egg
- 35 g sugar
- 8 g vanilla sugar
- 4 g baking powder
- 1 g salt
- 2 g finely grated unwaxed lemon zest
- 160 g sour cream with about 20% fat
- 120 g sour-cherry jam
- 1 litre neutral oil for deep-frying, not all absorbed
Instructions
- Mash already well-drained cheese with a fork and mix with egg, sugar, vanilla sugar, salt and lemon zest. Combine 150 g flour with baking powder and work in briefly. Dough stays slightly sticky. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
- Lightly dust hands and worktop with the reserved 20 g flour. Divide dough into four and remove a small piece from each for a ball. Shape larger pieces into rings about 2 cm thick with a generous central hole so it does not close during frying.
- Heat oil to about 170°C in a deep pan, filled no more than halfway. Fry rings in small batches for about 5–6 minutes total, turning. Fry small balls separately for about 3–4 minutes.
- Check the first piece: no wet raw dough should remain inside. If browning too quickly, lower heat slightly and cook longer. Drain, dress each ring with sour cream and jam and set a small ball on top. Serve warm.
Tips
- Dry unsalted twaróg, finely mashed, is a suitable substitute. Drain wet fresh cheese in a cloth over a bowl in the refrigerator beforehand, allowing several extra hours depending on the product.
- Do not compensate for very wet cheese with lots of extra flour, which toughens the rings. The stated cheese weight is after draining.
