Do you ever come across a food that instantly brings up a specific memory? Most things I make for Russian Bites just bring up general nostalgia mixed with excitement about eating my childhood favorites again. This time though, during my usual refrigerator check-in I noticed a package of farmers cheese (left from what was supposed to be stuffed blini, except they were devoured too quickly before I had a chance to convert them into anything else) so I decided to research what new Russian thing I could make. The second I realized I could make sirki I was instantly hit with the memory of the last time eating these. It was such a fun little trip down the memory lane! 
So this memory is actually about my trip to Russia. It was during my junior year in college when I studied abroad in England. My friend, Cory, was studying abroad in Moscow that year so I thought it was the perfect time to finally go to Moscow and St. Petersburg (for those that may be confused, I’m originally from Kishinev in Moldova and our traveling within the former Soviet Union was previously limited to Moldova and Ukraine). So it was about 9 months since I had any Russian food and 21 years since I’ve had Russian food from Russia 
My dad arranged for one of his friends to pick me up from the airport and Cory was there to greet me as well. I got my bags, we made our way to the car and jumped into the back seat. The second the car took off, Cory dug into her purse and whipped out a chocolate covered sirok (sirki is plural, sirok is singular)… and said: “Remember these? I recently discovered them and can’t get enough. I figured you may have missed them. Eat, eat, before it melts!!”
It was the coolest treat to be greeted with! Right then and there I knew it was going to be a fantastic trip. It made me very homesick and in fact during that trip I decided that it was my destiny to one day move to Russia with a fancy finance job and marry a Russian boy. I felt this incredible sense of belonging. Maybe I just missed my mom’s cooking. 
[Btw, I never did move back there and my husband is very much American but I couldn’t be happier. I am happy, however, that sirki are back in my life!]
So after all this talking you hopefully want to know what these are. Sir means cheese in Russian, so these sort of translate to “little cheese bites.” They are basically tangy cheesecake bonbons covered in chocolate and are sold all over Russia in the refrigerated section (sort of like you may see a big freezer’s full of ice cream in the US, you’d see a section with sirki in Russia). The colors represent different brands and different flavors of sirki. Mmm, I want to dive into this fridge!
Luckily for you and me, they are really easy to make so we can all get our sirki fix any day of the week! The lollipop sticks are not at all traditional but I think a sirki-lollipop trend is right around the corner. I mean, what doesn’t taste better on a stick?!
Printer-friendly recipe (largely based on Please to the Table)
Ingredients (makes approx. 20 pops):
- 12 oz farmer’s cheese
- 4 oz cream cheese (low fat worked great for me)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- zest of 2 lemons
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 12 oz chocolate, chopped (I used bittersweet – use your favorite!)
- 3 tablespoons of solid vegetable shortening
- equipment: cheesecloth
- optional: lollipop sticks
Instructions:
In a food processor, combine farmer’s cheese, cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks and lemon juice.
Mix in lemon zest.
Add cheese mixture to a colander lined with a cheesecloth (folded in 2 layers).
Fold cheesecloth over the cheese mixture, cover with a plate and a few heavy cans.
Place colander over a medium bowl. Refrigerate overnight to allow for the whey to strain.
The next day, take the cheese mixture out of the cheesecloth. It should be slightly hardened. Form into small balls. I like using a medium cookie scoop for this task.
Super easy!
In a double boiler (or medium bowl set over a pot of simmering water), melt chopped chocolate and shortening. Let cool for a few minutes.
If using lollipop sticks, insert sticks into the cheesecake balls and dip in chocolate. Place on a large cookie sheet (or serving tray) and refrigerate until the chocolate is set. If you don’t have lollipop sticks, use a toothpick for dipping, then dollop some chocolate over the toothpick hole.
Enjoy!!! I found them best served straight from the fridge. Too long out of the fridge and the cheese starts to soften (still delicious but it gets a bit messy).
What are your favorite bite-sized desserts? Any recent food experiences stirring up long forgotten moments?
:
[...] lollipops will be shared on Russian Bites next week. Be sure to check back there! Edited to add: here is the recipe. Don’t miss [...]
These were insanely good. I loved the addition of lemon. Thanks for having us over!
Too bad they got too soft in the heat. Glad you still liked them! I have a new obsession for sure (monkey bread + sirki… mmm, dinner of champions. lol)
Those remind me of cake pops, which are my favourite bite sized desserts (but only the homemade ones). I would love to try chocolate covered cheesecake balls – they look SO good!!!
I’ve never had cake pops but I see them all over blogs lately. Perhaps it’s time to try those too. Until then, I’m all about these!
These cheesecake pops look amazing! It would definitely be tough not to eat a bunch in one sitting
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I had a few bites of noodle kugel at a friend’s house the other day, and it reminded me of my grandmother (on my dad’s side). I am now intent on finding or creating a healthier version of this classic dish.
The first few days I’d tell you 1 is plenty rich but then I had 3 in one sitting a few days ago. They are small so I didn’t sweat it but I have been good since. If you only eat one at a time, there is more left for other days.
wow, this is exactly the thing I wanted to make this weekend cause I was craving sirki so much! I bought some farmers cheese from a Russian store but didnt get to use it over the weekend so now I guess that I have the recipe
I will get to it! Can’t wait to try them! Thank you for the wonderful post, Elina!
Yay, perfect timing. Enjoy!!
Beauties:) Oh nostalgia for the good old days as a kid in Kiev
I used to love these puppies. But mostly had them in New York 
My memory from childhood and desert were “Kartoshka” perozhinoe…got a recipe for that one?:)
I was recently reminded of them too. Can you read Russian? Just found this one that looks awesome. I may have to make them very soon! http://www.say7.info/cook/recipe/120-Pirozhnoe.html
Oh awesome
I actually follow that blog 
The ones I remember were round and there was a cherry inside:) My childhood friend’s Mom used to make them…Need to track her down 
Ooh, I’ve never had that kind… I don’t think. Still called kartoshka? I may need to do more research on this too
Anything is more fun served on a stick! These are so cute and they sound delicious.
These were definitely delicious
Tangy and creamy, enrobed in bittersweet chocolate… yum!!
These were so tangy and the chocolate coating was just perfect. I absolutely loved them. What a great treat! (I make all desserts bite-size so it’s hard to choose a favorite.)
oh wow, these are just beautiful and look so fun to eat!
Mmm, these were so delicious and I loved that you put them on sticks
Yum! These cheesecake bites sound soo good! I’ve always wanted to try something like this.
I love the little story that goes with these cheesecake pops! Isn’t it amazing how so many wonderful memories are connected with food? Especially coming from a different country, food can definitely bring back so many fond memories!
[...] Russian chocolate covered cheesecake pops (sirki v glazure) [...]
[...] 1. Sirki (Russian cheesecake pops) [...]
[...] cook 25 Russian meals (and blog about them on Russian Bites) – update on 10/3: so far I’ve made beef stroganoff, ponchiki, savory profiteroles, blini, layered jello cake, vareniki, chocolate covered sirki, . [...]
Are you using a raw yolks and old farmer’s cheese? No comments. Prescription for disaster.