Syrniki (Ukrainian/Russian cheese pancakes)

Syrniki are small, thick Ukrainian/Russian sweet cheese pancakes. They might not have a lot of ingredients and look a bit unassuming, but these little bites are soft, fluffy and deliciously good. 

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Despite having probably spent almost as much time over the years in Russia as Germany and Spain, I have shared a whole lot more recipes from the latter two. In all honesty, that's in part because I have a pretty mixed relationship with food in Russia.

I did indeed enjoy some lovely food including warming soups, homemade jam and elegant appetizers. But I also had some pretty questionable meals while volunteering at a camp in my late teens. We also had a number of challenges when I was there as a student, including very limited fresh produce beyond potatoes, carrots and cabbage.

Granted, some was timing and a lot has changed. And I'm sure many people had some pretty poor food experiences visiting Scotland, where I'm from, in years gone by, too (which is thankfully now much better).

But also what I think was true for both in the past was that the best meals were cooked at home. These little bites would be a perfect example. I doubt you'd find them in many restaurants, but they are a regular home treat for many in both Russia and the Ukraine. 

What are syrniki made from?

The name "syrniki" (or syrnyky in Ukraine) comes from the Slavic word for cheese - "syr" (сыр, pronounced like "sear"), since that's at the heart of these pancakes.

One thing that stood out when I was in Russia as a student was the range of dairy products. Not lots of types of cheese, but things like kefir, sour cream and others.  The university cafeteria had a row of dairy-based drinks to choose from, and dairy would appear in many dishes too. 

Tvorog, a kind of curd cheese, is the main ingredient in these little cheese pancakes. To that you add just a little flour and egg to keep them together and some sugar to gently sweeten them. You can add raisins, too, if you like, and sometimes vanilla.

Tvorog is soft but relatively dry, creamy and with a slightly tangy flavor. Some translate tvorog as "cottage cheese" but it's a little different. Cottage cheese uses rennet while tvorog is made with an acidic addition such as vinegar or lemon. A better translation or equivalent is farmer's cheese or quark. 

If you can't find it - often you will only get it in specialist Eastern European stores - you can use farmer's cheese or quark. You can also make it yourself using milk and vinegar and/or lemon juice. Another alternative is using ricotta, but you will probably want to drain it a bit first and the flavor is slightly different. 

An unusual method

One thing, other than the flavor and texture of course, that makes these pancakes stand out is how you make them. The mixture is relatively thick and so you handle it almost more like a cookie dough. After you mix all the ingredients, you then take spoonfuls, round them off, and pat them with flour.

This flour coating then crisps up a little and browns when you fry the pancakes. At the same time, the inside is still light and soft since it's mainly cheese and egg. So you get a lovely balance of flavors and textures. You can probably see now why some describe them as a cross between pancakes and cheesecake, or a sweet cheese fritter.

How to serve these cheese pancakes

You can serve these in much the same way as you would serve any sweet pancake. A little syrup would go pretty well. Typically, though, you would serve these with jam or some fruit compote and, of course, a little of the local favorite sour cream (smetana) on the side. 

The mix of fruit, sour cream and puffy pancake is incredibly tasty, so I definitely recommend trying!

Syrniki are light, gently sweet and wonderfully soft little bites. They pair perfectly with fruit in pretty much any form to make a delicious breakfast or try them for dessert. They're easy to make and a wonderfully comforting treat. 

Try these other pancake recipes:

• British pancakes (similar to crepes but a little thicker and traditionally served with lemon and sugar)
• Chinese scallion pancakes (a savory, slightly chewy pancake with flaky layers)
• Hotteok (Korean sweet pancakes with a nut-based filling)
• Baghrir (Moroccan semolina pancakes - light, and with tiny holes on top perfect to catch honey/syrup!)
• Plus get more breakfast recipes in the archives.

I've drawn on a few recipes, along with what I remember from years gone by, in making these, particularly this Vitalinka recipe and this Babaganosh recipe. I also adapted this Olga in the Kitchen recipe to make my own tvorog. I made mine with 4 cups milk, 1 tablespoon white vinegar and 1tbsp lemon juice which yielded almost exactly the right amount for this recipe.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

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