dessert

Folded Curd Sugar Biscuits

Name: Folded Curd Sugar Biscuits
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 24–30 biscuits
Cuisine: dessert
Ingredients: 500 g farmer's cheese (tvorog); 300 g unsalted butter, cold; 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp baking soda; Granulated sugar for coating

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Prep

20 minutes

Cook

20 minutes

Total

40 min

Serves

24–30 biscuits

Crisp-edged, flaky, and sweet on the outside, these biscuits get their layers from cold butter and farmer's cheese working together in the dough. The sugar hardens on the outside during baking and gives each fold a crunchy shell.

Ingredients

500 g farmer's cheese (tvorog)
300 g unsalted butter, cold
3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
Granulated sugar for coating

Instructions

1
Cut the cold butter into the flour and baking soda until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Work in the farmer's cheese until a cohesive dough forms. Don't overwork it.
2
Roll the dough to medium thickness and cut into rounds with a glass.
3
Press one side of a round into a bowl of sugar, fold in half (sugar side in), press into sugar again, fold into a triangle, and dip the top in sugar one more time.
4
Place on a baking sheet and bake at 180 °C (350 °F) for 18–20 minutes until golden and the sugar has set into a hard shell.

Cook's Note

Keep the butter cold when you work it into the flour. Cold fat in distinct pieces is what builds the flaky layers, if it softens and blends in completely, you lose the flake. Work fast, or pop the dough back in the fridge if your kitchen is warm.

Best Served With

Cold milk or hot fruit compote. Good with a cup of tea too.

Why This Recipe Works

The moisture in the farmer's cheese turns to steam in the oven, which pushes the layers apart. At the same time, the sugar coating on the outside melts and hardens into a crunchy shell. Cold fat keeps the inside soft while the outside crackles.

Make It Yours

Mix a little cinnamon or cardamom into your dipping sugar.
Add a pinch of orange zest to the dough.
Try sesame seeds instead of sugar for a savory version.

Leftover Strategy

Keep in a tin at room temperature. They stay crisp for 3–4 days.

Want to impress guests with this dish? Ask Jeff →

Pairing

Cold milk or black tea. A glass of sweet Riesling for a more composed dessert setting.