Romanian papanasi — traditional cheese doughnuts with sour cream and sour cherry jam

Papanasi are Romania’s most famous dessert and the pride of its traditional cuisine: fried doughnuts made with fresh cow’s cheese, served the traditional way with cold smântână (sour cream) and tart cherry jam. The contrast between the warm, crisp doughnut and the cold sauce is the secret of this dessert’s success, which in Romanian restaurants is served with a small ball of dough on top of the ring.

Ingredients (for 8 pieces, 4 servings)

For the doughnuts:

• 500 g fresh cow’s cheese (brânză de vaci), well drained
• 2 eggs
• 100 g sugar
• 1 packet vanilla sugar (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 200 g flour (+ extra for dusting)
• oil for frying

For serving:

• 300 g sour cream (smântână)
• 200 g sour cherry or morello cherry jam
• powdered sugar for dusting

Preparation

1. Drain the fresh cow’s cheese well in a sieve or a clean cloth, so the dough does not turn out wet.
2. In a large bowl, mix the cheese with the eggs, sugar, vanilla sugar, baking powder and salt until you get a soft, homogeneous mixture.
3. Gradually add the flour and mix until the dough becomes soft, slightly sticky but shapeable. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
4. With lightly oiled hands or on a floured surface, form 8 thick rings (make a hole in the middle with your finger) and 8 small balls for the “lids.”
5. Heat the oil in a deep pot (around 170–175°C). Fry the doughnuts in batches until golden on both sides, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
6. To serve: place a ring on a plate, fill the hole and the surface with cold sour cream, add the cherry jam and place the ball on top. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Preparation time: about 25 minutes preparation + 20 minutes frying. Servings: 8 pieces (4 servings).