The common stereotype associated with Russia is of ripped shirtless men working out with bears in the thick of snow while chugging vodka like water, but jokes aside, the Russians have a sweet tooth. It's hardly surprising, for sweets do make the booze hit better, and get you drunk and warmer sooner; for legal reasons, we are joking.
When you think of Russian desserts, think of the babushkas, the Russian grandmothers with their headscarves fastened just right under their chins. Making the best of recipes passed by these wrinkly hands and shaped by local ingredients and the fall and rise of empires in Russia, the desserts of the country are what tie people together and foster a sense of community. So, here are some of the popular russian desserts that are cherished by the Russians.
Sharlotka cake is one of the most popular desserts coming from the Russian kitchens. In simple words, this is a Russian apple cake with its origin in 19th-century France, where it was known as Charlotte. Originally, the apple cake featured a brown-bread or savory-biscuit crust filled with tart apple puree and sweet cream. However, in Russian kitchens, sponge cake replaced bread while apples and cream carried the true essence.
Introduced in the early 20th century to mark a pivotal moment in history, the Napoleon cake represents Russia’s victory over Napoleon Bonaparte in 1912. Designed after Napoleon's bicorne hat, the cake features pastry slices sandwiched between pastry cream. The traditional cake recipe has eight layers and is often decorated with crushed pastry crumbs on top and sides.
Chocolate salami came into existence as one ingenious solution during times of scarcity after the Revolution of 1917. Made with milk biscuits, toasted walnuts, and a rich chocolate sauce, the dessert took the shape of ‘salami’ not as meat, but as a log rolled in parchment paper.
Popular across Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region, Kogel Mogel came from a 17th-century recipe by the Yiddish communities. All this dessert takes are some egg yolks, sugar, and flavorings like honey, cocoa, rum, or vanilla. However, the textures and tastes may vary slightly based on the recipe.
This 19th-century layered honey cake features multiple layers of sponge cake sandwiched between sour cream, condensed milk, and honey-laced buttercream. While the outer layers are firm, the core is all about a luscious softness that slowly melts into the mouth.
Ptichye Moloko cake is best defined as a perfect balance of lightness and richness. Featuring multiple paper-thin layers of soufflé, this unbelievably crisp yet tender cake is an absolute delight. As light and airy as a cloud, this cake also features dense and complex cocoa flavors.
This traditional Russian candy is quite similar to fruit pastilles, that consists of pressed fruit paste or juice with an airy texture. Made with sour Russian apples and berries, this dessert also includes ingredients like sugar, honey, and egg whites to create a paste. The paste is then baked for a long time in traditional Russian ovens before being layered and dried.
Rum Baba, also spelled as ‘Romovay Baba’ in Russia, is best defined as a rich and soft cake soaked in rum syrup. Evolving from Polish babka and French patisserie, this Russian sweet treat is all about a light, soft, fluffy, airy cake. The true tastemaker of the cake is the rum syrup that is made with sugar, water, spices, and dark rum.
While the rum-soaked flavor and aroma are at the heart of the Russian delight, it is often served with a dollop of whipped cream or some freshly sliced fruit.
Vatrushka, also known as Russian cheesecake or sweet cheese bun, is nothing but a soft, airy yeast dough bun often topped with a generous amount of sweet farmer’s cheese. Often referred to as the’sun’ of Russian desserts, the bun is baked until golden and then filled with a creamy, cheesy filling made from sweetened farmer's cheese, egg yolk, sugar, and sometimes vanilla, sour cream, or raisins. If you are trying this for the first time, don’t forget to enjoy it as a quick breakfast staple or a dessert served with tea or coffee.
This is another less-explored traditional baked casserole featuring a sweet, crustless farmer’s cheese cheesecake. Made with rich ingredients like farmer's cheese, eggs, sugar, and semolina or flour, and raisins, it is considered a nutritious pudding-like dish. Here, the slightly tangy taste meets the creamy, pudding-like consistency. The interesting fact is that this recipe can be both sweet and savory, based on what you need. If sweetness is the preference, sweet cottage cheese is the way to go. If savory is the choice, one may simply opt for potatoes, pasta, or meat.