Name: Lviv Syrnik - Chocolate Glazed Cheesecake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Ingredients: 600 g Farmer's Cheese (Tvorog) (*see blog post); 90 g Butter (soft); 100 g Sugar; 15 g Corn Starch; 4 Eggs; 30 g Sour Cream (full fat); 60 g Raisins (dark); 1 tbsp Flour (to coat raisins); 1/2 Lemon or Orange (zest only); 1 tsp Vanilla Extract; 75 g Chocolate (dark or milk, good quality); 45 g Butter

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Lviv Syrnik is a traditional Ukrainian dessert. It is a farmer’s cheesecake, flavored with citrus, raisins and a touch of vanilla. A thin layer of chocolate glaze is just a little finishing touch, that makes this dessert irresistibly delicious!

Chocolate glazed vanilla raisin cheesecake syrnik

Just like most European desserts, Lviv Syrnik is not overly sweet. It is best enjoyed with a cup of hot tea or coffee.

I found this recipe in a recipe book by Victoria Melnik. She also has a little website with amazing recipes. If you speak Russian, make sure to check it out (click) and try some of her delicious desserts.

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What is Lviv Syrnik made out of?

Unlike a traditional American cheesecake, Lviv Syrnik is made out of farmer’s cheese, instead of cream cheese. Farmer’s cheese is a fresh cheese, similar in texture to ricotta. You can learn more about this ingredient in this blog post.

You can buy farmer’s cheese (or tvorog) at most supermarkets or online. Or check your local European store, they should have it as well. Otherwise, try making farmer’s cheese at home following this easy recipe.

Other ingredients include:

eggs
butter

Make sure to use good quality butter for this recipe, as it does make a big difference.

sugar

If you’re avoiding sugar, try granulated monkfruit sweetener instead. It is a zero calorie 1:1 sugar replacement. I like this one by Lakanto.

corn starch
sour cream
dark raisins

Instead of raisins, you could use dried cranberries or even cherries. Another great addition would be poppy seeds (add them to 1/4 of the batter and layer at the bottom).

lemon or orange zest
vanilla

If you can, try using pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the best tasting cheesecake. It can be on the pricier side, but it’s well worth it in my opinion.

Thin Chocolate Glaze

And the last part is homemade chocolate glaze. It is a super easy glaze with only 2 ingredients: chocolate and butter. Again, for the best tasting syrnik, try using the best butter you can find, as well as good quality chocolate.

Here’s my favorite chocolate options:

Lily’s Dark Chocolate (stevia sweetened, no sugar option)
Tony’s Chocolonely 70% Dark Chocolate Bar (my absolute favorite)
Tony’s Chocolonely Milk Chocolate (for milk chocolate lovers)
Chocolove Rich Dark Chocolate Bar

Use dark or milk chocolate, depending on what you like more.

How to make Lviv Syrnik

The steps to make Lviv Syrnik are pretty straight forward. However, using good quality ingredients and giving Syrnik enough time to set is very important.

Step 1. Preheat your oven

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grease a loaf pan with soft butter and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Step 2. Soak raisins

To soften up the raisins, soak them in hot water (or alcohol of choice) for 10-15 minutes. Drain and dry with a paper towel. Coat in one tablespoon of flour.

Step 3. Prepare the batter

First, press farmer’s cheese through a mesh strainer (such as this one) or blend with a hand blender. Don’t skip this important step! Add sugar, corn starch and citrus zest. Mix until combined.

Into the cheese mixture, add soft (not melted) butter and carefully combine. One-by-one, add the eggs, mixing between each addition.

Once all the eggs are mixed in, add the remaining ingredients: sour cream, vanilla and raisins. Combine.

Step 4. Bake

Transfer the batter into a prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350 F for 40-50 minutes.

Step 5. Cool the cheesecake

Once the baking time is up, leave the cheesecake inside the turned off oven until it comes to room temperature. Transfer to the fridge for 1-2 hours. Then take out of the baking pan and flip upside down.

Step 6. Make the chocolate glaze

To prepare the glaze, melt chocolate and butter in the microwave or over a water bath. Let cool to room tempreture.

Pour the chocolate glaze over the cheesecake and spread evenly over the top and sides. Make sure to use a thin layer of glaze, so it doesn’t overpower the delicate Syrnik taste.

Optional: let Syrnik set in the fridge

This step is optional, but I highly recommend letting the Syrnik fully set in the fridge for at least four hours, or overnight.

Enjoy with a cup of fresh coffee or hot tea!

Secrets to a perfect Lviv Syrnik

Only good quality ingredients – especially butter and chocolate!
Soak raisins in alcohol – rum works best, or use orange juice instead.
Swap raisins for – dried cherries, or skip all together.
Let the cheesecake cool completely before transferring to the fridge – to avoid the “sweating effect”.
Use a thin layer of chocolate glaze – chocolate has a strong flavor, so it can overpower the delicate Syrnik flavor.
Store in the fridge for up to a few days or in the freezer for up to a few months – just make sure to use a good airtight container.

More Desserts to Try

Pumpkin Cheesecake Crepe Pockets – all time favorite cheesecake with a fun twist

Pistachio Strawberry Mini Cheesecakes – perfect little summer treat

Sourdough Discard Banana Bread – so moist and delicious

No-Bake Blueberry Lavender Cheesecake – light and healthy

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