I love eating this Cheese Blintzes, especially around the holidays. It's a memory from my childhood, I'm sure that my mom made the tastiest Blintzes around. Come to think of it, anytime we had company around for dinner, mom made these was a dessert treat.
What are Cheese Blintzes?
Blintzes are a variation of Russian Blini, which are a thin, crepe like pancake. They are made with wheat flour, and stuffed with a variety of ingredients, sweet or savory. This Cheese Blintz recipe is made with Farmer's Cheese, also known as Tvorog in Russian (or Quark in German).
It's so easy to make your own homemade Farmers Cheese, you don't need to buy it in the store. Homemade is much cheaper too! Some Cheese Blintz recipes are pan fried in butter before serving. In Poland and Ukraine, these are known as Nalesniki or Krokiety. My mom's Blintz recipe was always baked in the oven, like a blintz casserole.
How to Make a Cheese Blintz Filling
Always use Farmer's Cheese or Tvorog (Quark), but in a pinch, some people use Cottage Cheese. I don't like using store bought Cottage Cheese version, because Cottage Cheese is too bland for this recipe in my opinion. The Tvorog or Quark Cheese filling is a little sour, and slightly sweetened with sugar. Other people substitute with Ricotta, but it's not as authentic as Farmer's Cheese Tvorog.
The Farmer's Cheese is simply mixed with a pinch of salt, sugar and an egg. That's it. It you have a really dry Farmer's Cheese, you can mix in some cream cheese. Some people will add a teaspoon of vanilla, or even lemon zest, but I always say, try the original recipe first before adding extras.
Cheese Blintz filling should be a little tart, and not sweet. The sweetness is added from the sugar which is sprinkled over the Blintz Casserole. That's the secret for the sweet and tart cheese filling ratio. Don't over-sweeten the filling, but add extra over the cheese filled blintzes.
After rolling the blintzes like a small burrito, they are placed tightly in a baking tray. The secret to this recipe is to generously sprinkle sugar on top of the crepes before covering them with whipping cream. Bake in an oven for about 25 minutes, until they are golden brown and the sugar caramelizes.
Can Cheese Blintzes be Frozen?
Yes. This cheese blintz filling makes about 20-25 blintzes, which I separate into 2 baking trays. The first tray we eat on the day, and the 2nd tray I wrap in foil and put in the freezer. I use it within a month. To defrost blintzes, just take them out of the freezer, bring to room temperature and bake with sugar and whipping cream.
Crepe Recipes You'll Love
- Breakfast Blini - Stuffed with Bacon and Egg
- Kefir Blini - Farmer's Style
- Cheese Blintzes - rolled with Tvorog and baked
- Blinichiki Stuffed with Meat
Sweet Cheese Blintzes are a delicious dessert or a breakfast treat. Popular in Russian, Jewish and Slavic families. A baked blintz recipe stuffed with Farmers Cheese Tvorog. Your family will love it. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Ingredients
- 20-25 blinis or crepes
- 1 lb (500g) Farmer's Cheese or Tvorog
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons sugar for cheese mixture
- 1 large egg
- ¼-½ cup sugar to sprinkle
- 1 cup whipping cream
Instructions
- Make the blinis ahead of time, stacked on a plate according to this recipe.
- In a bowl, mix the Farmer's Cheese, salt, sugar and an egg until combined.
- To make the Cheese Blintzes, take 1 Blinchik Crepe and lay flat on a surface. Take 1-2 tablespoons of the Farmers Cheese mixture and place on the edge of closest to you. Fold the bottom over the cheese, wrap the sides in, and roll the Cheese Blintz. It's like rolling a burrito. Place in a baking tray.
- Continue making the Cheese Blintzes until it's all use up. This makes 2 trays, I usually freeze one for future use, or one large casserole dish.
- Sprinkle about a ¼ cup of sugar on top of each blintz tray. Pour enough whipping cream so the the Cheese Blintzes are covered with the cream.
- Place in a preheated oven at 350°F/180°F. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until it starts to bubble and the whipping cream is absorbed into the blintzes.
- Serve immediately with sour cream.
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