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Yana wrote in with her mother Vera’s recipe for Ptichye Moloko; a classic and famous Russian desert. What I love about this recipe is the texture; a mousse-like creamy base and a thin velvety layer of coco loveliness.
Everyone in my family really enjoyed it. Ptichye Moloko is an adult jello, but you can also make a quick, kid friendly version, by using a flavored Jell-O instead of the chocolate (just make sure the jello is room temp before pouring it over the cream).
Thank you Yana and Vera for sharing this amazing family recipe with us.
Ingredients for the Ptichye Moloko cream base:
2 packets (14 grams) unflavored gelatin
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
16 oz tub of sour cream
16 oz tub of cool whip, refrigerated (not frozen)
Ingredients for the Ptichye Moloko Chocolate topping:
5 Tbsp Cocoa powder, unsweetened
5 Tbsp sugar
1 packet (7 grams) unflavored gelatin
5 Tbsp milk
1 cup cold water
How to make the cream base:
1. In a small sauce pan, combine 2 packets unflavored gelatin with 1 cup milk. Whisk together over medium heat. Continue whisking until it just begins to steam, remove from heat (DO NOT BOIL). Set aside to cool.
2. Spray an 11×13 glass baking dish with cooking spray (this prevents the jello from sticking to the dish).
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed whisk together 1 cup sugar, 16 oz tub of sour cream and a 16 oz tub of cool whip until well blended.
4. With the mixer on, slowly add the warm milk mixture.
5. Immediately pour into the prepared baking dish. Smooth the top as evenly as possible since the chocolate layer is thin. Cover and refrigerate to cool. Now start working on the chocolate topping.
How to make chocolate topping:
1. In a small sauce pan, combine 5 Tbsp coco powder, 5 Tbsp sugar, 1 packet unflavored gelatin. Next, whisk in 1 cup cold water and 5 Tbsp milk.
2. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil while mixing continuously. If you don’t continue whisking, the chocolate may lump and you have to start over (don’t walk away from the mix). The mix should be smooth and well blended. Set the chocolate mix aside and let it cool for 1 hour.
3. Slowly pour the chocolate portion onto the cream base. Chill in the fridge for at least 5 hours.
Ptichye Moloko Recipe (Bird's Milk)
Ingredients
Ingredients for the cream base:
- 2 packets, or 14 grams unflavored gelatin*
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 16 oz tub of sour cream
- 16 oz tub of cool whip, refrigerated (not frozen)
Ingredients for the Chocolate topping:
- 5 Tbsp Coco powder, unsweetened
- 5 Tbsp sugar
- 1 packet, 7 grams unflavored gelatin
- 5 Tbsp milk
- 1 cup cold water
Instructions
- In a small sauce pan, combine 2 packets unflavored gelatin with 1 cup milk.
- Whisk together over medium heat. Continue whisking until it just begins to steam, remove from heat (DO NOT BOIL).Set aside to cool.
- Spray an 11 x 13 glass baking dish with cooking spray (this prevents the jello from sticking to the dish).
- In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed whisk together 1 cup sugar, 16 oz tub of sour cream and a 16 oz tub of cool whip until well blended.
- With the mixer on, slowly add the warm milk mixture.
- Immediately pour into the prepared baking dish. Smooth the top as evenly as possible since the chocolate layer is thin. Cover and refrigerate to cool. Now start working on the chocolate topping.
How to make chocolate topping:
- In a small sauce pan, combine 5 Tbsp coco powder, 5 Tbsp sugar, 1 packet unflavored gelatin.
- Whisk in 1 cup cold water and 5 Tbsp milk.
- Place over medium heat and bring to a boil while mixing continuously. If you don't continue whisking, the chocolate may lump and you have to start over (don't walk away from the mix). The mix should be smooth and well blended.
- Set the chocolate mix aside and let it cool for 1 hour.
- Slowly pour the chocolate portion onto the cream base. Chill in the fridge for at least 5 hours.
Notes
Hey guys,
I made the cake today and somehow wound up with runny chocolate top. I was sturring it all the time till it starttrd to boil and then turned it off (i did take it off the stove as soon as it started to boil). What might have i done incorrectly? Thanks for your suggestions in advance!
Did it cool after refrigeration? It is still pretty liquidy until it’s fully cooled and refrigerated for awhile.
thanks for the advice!
I kept it in a fridge overnight — did not help ;-(
On a separate note, have you ever tried to make the cake with cream cheese?
You might try cooking it a little longer next time over very low heat. I’m so frustrated with myself that I didn’t put how long to keep the chocolate topping on the heat, but I do remember just bringing it to a boil and then removing it from the heat. You didn’t forget the unflavored gelatin? If not, you might also try 1 Tbsp less of milk next time.
Hello folks,
i saw this comment about putting ptichiyo moloko layer between two biskvit layers — won’t the second biskvit layer squash the ptichiyo moloko layer?
I have the cake posted here: https://natashaskitchen.com/2011/12/09/ptichye-moloko-cake-recipe-birds-milk-cake/ The ptichiye moloko is strong enough to stand up under the cake 🙂
My favorite birds Milk recipe ! I have already set the cream part of the cake & will be making the chocolate part tomorrow. Will it still need to set for 5 hours or less?
Hi Christy, if the bottom layer is fully set and very cold, the chocolate layer will set faster than 5 hours.
Thank you so much for sharing this recepie. I made it yesterday for my family. I didnt have enough cool whip ( because I had to double the recepie) and it turned out awesome I just whipped the heavy whipping cream before adding the sour cream and the cool whip… oh and i added the sugar to the milk misture so it melted. i was afraid of a grainy texture from unmelted sugar. And i also added cocoa to half of the mouse misture to make it layered very delisious! thank you!!
You are welcome Yelena, I’m glad you like the recipe :).
hi i wanted to know how many servings are in this recipe
About 12
Hi Natasha,
Will this recipe work for flipping the pan over and just having it out of a pan?
I haven’t tried it, but if you do, it would probably be best to line your dish with plastic wrap so it comes out of the dish easier; but again, I haven’t tried it. It does work really well in the pan 🙂
I want to use heavy whipping cream instead of cool whip, any idea on how much I should use?
I can’t tell you how much because I haven’t experienced with it. The texture might be completely different.
Hi Natasha! I love the idea of this recipe and would like to make it for Thanksgiving. Could you please tell me, when making the chocolate sauce, could I use 1 cup of milk plus the 5 tablespoons of milk instead of 1 cup water + 5 tablespoons milk?! What do you say?
I don’t know how that would change the texture; It might work, but I just am not sure. Maybe use low fat or fat-free milk. Let me know how it works out if you try it that way.
I have made this dessert several times now and love it! Thank you so much for sharing and inspiring the rest of us in our kitchens. I also made an entirely fat free version of it since my mom has stones and cant have any fat. It turned out equally scrumptious! However, the last time I made it, I used a Hershey’s brand of cocoa and for some odd reason it did not thicken well enough even after over night refrigeration.
Natasha what cocoa do u use? I used hersheys unsweetened cocoa and my chocolate layer turned out bitter.
It is supposed to have a dark chocolate bitterness to it to contrast the white layers sweetness. If you don’t like the chocolate, you can put a nice layer of jello on top instead. Just make the jello with less water than the box says. I have measurements in another post. Search birds milk jello. I also used Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa.
Oh so i didnt mess anything up:) . I love chocolate, i think i’ll add a little more sugar to get it to my taste. I first tried this at my sister’s house, but she used diferent cocoa and hers was sweet and so good. My husband loved it, and he usually doesnt like jellos with white layers. (My white layer turned out good.) Thats why i was asking:) I like ur website a lot. I really like it that u respond so quickly. Thanks and God bless.
That’s definitely a good idea if you still like the chocolate and just want it to be sweeter. 🙂 Thank you for your sweet comment. God bless you too!
sorry for this question, but how do I print the recipes from your site preferably without the pictures? I was looking for print option but haven’t seen one, or maybe I am not looking at the right place? thanks
Hi Alena, to print the recipe, scroll down to the bottom of the post. Right below the last picture, click on print/pdf/email icon which should open in the new window. Next check the box on the top right to remove images and click print. I hope this helps 😀
Thank u so much! I didn’t notice it before. My teacher used to say that there are no stupid questions. I’m glad I asked:)
I made this for the 2nd time and this time I doubled the chocolate layer . Everyone liked. I also like it better with more chocolate.
Natasha! Thank You so much for this recipe! I made this for the Father’s Day last weekend and it was delicious! I am so happy I found your blog, I have been missing my “native” cooking tremendously! I just went a little crazy printing most recipes you posted 🙂 I will be making all of them in the next few weeks! I will comment after I have made the recipes! Thank You so much again!
🙂 Sveta, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. Have fun cooking!
Made some this passed week. Really yummy!! Will try putting it in between cake layers next time 🙂 thanks for the recipie!!
Oh so glad you liked it. I do have a cake with this filling posted. 🙂
Glad to see that everybody likes this recipe!! =) I love how you did it step by step and emphasized on the boil and do not boil steps, those are very important to this ‘secret’ family recipe.. (not so secret anymore). =)
Yes, thank you so much! You gave me excellent instructions. Otherwise, I probably would have failed and gotten discouraged 🙂 I love your recipe and it makes me curious about what other fantastic recipes you have up your cooking sleeve? 🙂
=) I’ll ask my Mom what else she has.
Awesome!! Thanks Yana! 🙂
This is a amazing recipee, i did it for my lilttle brothers birthday everybody loved it.
Vera, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by to let me know. 🙂
Thank you Natasha!
Some how the chocolate tooping didn’t friz in the fridge, although i did exactly what you wrote . So today i put it in the frizer i hope it will help.
Thanks!
Hey!
I love bird’s milk , was excited to find out you have a recepie . 🙂
How much is every package of gelatine that you used?
Thanks!
I believe there is almost 1 tbsp in each packet. I bought the box with 32 packets which was 8 oz total. So 1/4 ounce per packet.
Can I mix the white base with avocado smoothie? In my mind it will be like on top is chocolate, middle is green from avocado, and below is white. How was it? 🙂
I’m having a hard time imagining that with avocado. Maybe I’m just not that creative? 🙂 Sorry, I know that’s not very helpful. Will it taste like avocado?
Hai Natasha…, finally I’ve tried to mix with avocado (I used your method in Bird’s Milk Jello). But instead of put red food color, I mix half cream with two avocado 😀 It was good! It became like avocado choco mousse 🙂 You should try it 😉 Thanx for your recipe! I’m so glad that I made it.
That sounds like exotic jello. 🙂 Thanks for sharing and for remembering to come back and tell me about it!
I made this for Christmas…it was SO good. But instead I put it into little dessert cups. Check it out:
If you you would like you can follow my blog too! Thanks Natasha!
What a great idea! I love it! I’ll definitely be checking your site out. 🙂
This was so easy and fast:) but taste is even better!! Thank you;)
You are welcome. And, there is so much you can do with it… a cake with the ptichye moloko, a fruit jello,…. I’m looking forward to exploring more. I just love the texture and taste too!