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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
Can we freeze it?
Hi Julie, I haven’t tried freezing it so I can’t really advise it one way or the other. I don’t know how the freezer would affect the texture of this dessert.
hi Natasha! I made bird milk following your recipe, but it did not turn out like bird’s milk that I used to eat in Russia. It tastes just like whipped cream:(. Was that supposed to taste like that ?
This is a different recipe since there was no cool whip in Ukraine. The one you’re referring to probably tasted more like sour cream and was likely less sweet. It’s just a completely different recipe.
Hello, can I use Heavy Wipped Instead of Cool Wip?
I haven’t tried that substitution but several of my readers have. The most detailed instructions one of them left were as follows: “To make it a little more healthy, use two cups of heavy cream instead of cool whip (cool whip had a lot of nasty ingredients) whip it with sugar till stiff peaks form, then add sour cream, then add cooled milk mixture.”
I substitute cool whip for heavy whip cream in all recipes, all the time. Works great. I just whip it up to cool whip consistency first, before adding any other ingredients.
After completing step 2 of the chocolate topping, is it suppose to be a thicker consistency like condensed milk? Or just smooth, as in, well combined and no chunks? Mine comes out looking like hot chocolate even after its cooled. More gelatin perhaps or will it harden after I put it in the frig?
If you made the chocolate layer with the same proportions as in the recipe, it should thicken up nicely in the fridge. It was a little like hot chocolate consistency when I first poured it on. I hope you love it!
Hi Natasha! If I don’t have 11×13 baking dish, would it be better to use smaller or larger one? I have 9×13 or 11×15.
I would probably do it in the 9×13. I don’t know if you’d have enough chocolate sauce for the top if you used the larger dish.
So i only have Russian sour cream at the moment. Is there a way i can thicken it?
Svetlana, I’m not sure if Russian sour cream would work or any ways to thicken it up. If you test it out, please let me know how it works.
Natasha, just wanted to drop you a note: I made this one a few months ago. It was perfect. I do bake a lot, it’s my hobby, to the point when I bake just to give it to people, puts me a good mood, relaxes me after work, etc. Anyways, when I made this one, one of my kids said: Mom, you bake a lot and I really love lots of things you make… but… this one…I CAN MARRY IT!!! I’ve got an order from my family to make it for Thanksgiving! Thanks a bunch for your blog/site – I really enjoy it.
I can marry it. lol. That is adorable. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome review and encouraging comment 🙂
Is 16oz 1liter?
16 oz = 2 cups or about 1/2 liter.
Hi Natasha! Why is my birds milk wasn’t firm, it was like a little runny? Do u think using agar agar will be a bit stronger then gelatin?
Hi Deana, did you use agar agar for this recipe? I haven’t tested it with that so I can’t say for sure. One common culprit is using a Russian style sour cream that is more runny than the US version. Did you measure everything out exactly to the recipe? Did you substitute any of the ingredients?
Hi! Can I use fruit pectin in place of the gelatin in this recipe? I am vegan and I would love to try this recipe. Thanks for your reply.
I have never tried with anything besides gelatin so I’m not sure if that would work. Another option might be agar agar but again, I haven’t tested with that either.
Wondering whether the taste will be the same with agar? Anybody have tried this resepi with agar pls share the outcome. Thanks😊
I have not tried it so I can’t really recommend it.
how many gram is 1 packet of gelatin?
The box says 226 grams for 32 packets so its about 7 grams per packet.
I made this today. It’s so easy to make it and it’s delicious! Love il!! Thank you for the recipe!
Im so happy you liked it! Thanks Dia!
To make it a little more healthy, use two cups of heavy cream instead of cool whip (cool whip had a lot of nasty ingredients)
whip it with sugar till stiff peaks form, then add sour cream, then add cooled milk mixture.
Hi Anna! Thanks for sharing that. Have you tested that substitution in this recipe specifically? I’ve been wondering if it would work with whipped cream. Thanks so much!
Is this enough for 3 people cause I think its too little. :/
Hi Ana, what do you mean? Are you cutting the recipe in half or something? This dessert is meant to serve more like 8 people.
Natasha, I would like to know if you have made Kiev Cake before? I would love to make it at home.
Hi Valeriya :). Here’s our version of the Kiev Cake 🙂 https://natashaskitchen.com/2010/10/09/kievsky-aka-kiev-cake-recipe/
Is there a way to make this with sweetened condensed milk? maybe substitute for sugar and sour cream?
That would be a completely different recipe. Have you seen the cream layer in the peaches and cream Jell-O that I posted recently? That might be something like what you’re looking for. I haven’t tried using sour cream either. Although, a sour cream base does sound good!
Hi Natasha, I read few comments here, and saw one that said you can’t call it “ptichie moloko” as my mom was owner of a bakery who specialized only in ptichie moloko – original one, any way to make long story short, when I made your recepie for my moms birthday, she asked me when I got the agar 🙂 she was so surprised. So 🙂 this is the best version as we tried so far and a lot easier, less hassle.
Thank you so much for sharing that! 🙂 You’re awesome! I’m so happy your Mom liked it – that’s quite a compliment coming from the owner of a bakery. What an awesome job that would be!
Natasha, I believe 1 month ago I did this recipe with melted chocolate chips on the top, and my husband loved it so much. And know I cant find this anymore, just with cocoa?
Was it a birds milk cake? This one maybe? https://natashaskitchen.com/2011/12/09/ptichye-moloko-cake-recipe-birds-milk-cake/
Hello 🙂 I wanted to make birds milk for the big new years party at church. I was wondering would it work if I were to pour little portions in cupcake holders?
I haven’t tried cupcake holders but I don’t think it will work. It might be a mess to get them out and I don’t know how the chocolate topping would work with the liners. I think if you want to do individual portions, try piping the mixture into small clear plastic cups.