Ptichye Moloko (Bird’s Milk)
Ptichye Moloko (Bird’s Milk Dessert): light and fluffy combination of creamy white and cocoa mousse-like layers. Easy dessert done in 30 minutes. This is another famous and classic easy recipe among Ukrainian families. The creamy mousse-like texture just melts in your mouth.
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Ptichye Moloko is a must for big holidays, major gatherings or just a random day of the week. It never gets old and you keep craving it so often. It’s extremely easy to make, takes less than 30 minutes to make it and couple hours to set.
You can prepare it the day before the event. The ingredients needed are very simple and very common that you probably already have on hand if you’re a baker.
I’ve always made this recipe in a 5-quart glass dish, slice and serve using a thin metal spatula. This dessert would feed 12-14 people, but in my family of 4 we always get it down in 2 days at a regular day. 🙂 It’s that good!
Most people prefer bird’s milk dessert rather than regular jello. This version of ptichye moloko sets really quickly, therefore, I would not suggest making it for little cups. It will start setting and by the time you fill the cups you’ll have to smooth it out with a spoon making the sides look messy.
Serving Ptichye Moloko
Use a sharp thin knife when slicing this dessert. Cut slowly and wipe knife off with a clean napkin when needed. Use a metal thin spatula to take each piece out and garnish with white chocolate curls (pieces) for a more elegant look.
Ingredients for Ptichye Moloko:
- 2 (16 oz) sour cream
- 2 (8 oz) original cool whip – thawed
- 1 cup granulated sugar – divided
- 4 pockets unflavored gelatin
- 2 cups whole milk – cold, divided
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- white chocolate for garnish – optional
Ptichye Moloko Vanilla Layer:
In a glass measuring cup, sprinkle 2 pockets unflavored gelatin over 1 cup cold whole milk. Stir with a disposable spoon, give 5 minutes for gelatin to bloom and then microwave in 30 seconds intervals, stirring every time until gelatin is dissolved (usually takes 2 minutes). Make sure not to boil! Set aside to slightly cool and for remaining gelatin bubbles to disappear while you beat remaining ingredients. (Note: I always pour the milk and gelatin mixture through a small sieve, to make sure none of the gelatin bubbles get into ptichye moloko; just in case something isn’t fully dissolved).
In a large bowl, combine 16 oz sour cream, 8 oz thawed cool whip and 1/2 cup sugar. Using electric mixer, beat on high speed for about 2 minutes until sugar is dissolved and all ingredients are well combined. Add all of the milk mixture to the bowl at once and beat right away on low speed for 40-60 seconds until everything combined. Quickly pour the cream into a 15×11 baking dish and gently shake the dish to equally spread ptichye moloko throughout the dish. Do not use spatula to spread! It will leave messy edges. Leave it at room temperature while you make the chocolate layer.
Ptichye Moloko Chocolate Layer:
In a glass measuring cup, sprinkle 2 pockets unflavored gelatin over 1 cup cold whole milk. Stir with a disposable spoon, give 5 minutes for gelatin to bloom and then microwave in 30 seconds intervals, stirring every time until gelatin is dissolved (usually takes 2 minutes). Make sure not to boil! Set aside to slightly cool and for remaining gelatin bubbles to disappear while you beat remaining ingredients. (Note: I always pour the milk and gelatin mixture through a small sieve, to make sure none of the gelatin bubbles get into ptichye moloko, in case something isn’t fully dissolved).
Combine and whisk 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa powder. In a large bowl, combine 16 oz sour cream, 8 oz thawed cool whip and combined sugar/cocoa mixture. Beat on high speed for about 2 minutes until sugar is dissolved and all ingredients are well combined. Add all of the milk mixture to the bowl at once and beat right away on low speed for 40-60 seconds until everything is combined. Quickly pour the cream over the white layer from step 1 and gently shake the dish for ptichye moloko to equally spread throughout the dish. Do NOT use spatula.
Cover dessert with plastic food wrap. (Having 4 hands for this would be a great idea so you don’t accidentally drop plastic wrap onto ptichye moloko. It will stick).
Refrigerate for 2-3 hours to set. Slice ptichye moloko with thin sharp knife. Garnish with white chocolate pieces before serving.
Explore These Other Ukrainian Desserts:
- Chocolate Spartak Cake – family-favorite chocolate cake
- Honey Cake – favorite cake for decades and the easiest
- Crispy Walnut Shaped Cookies – perfect for events and holidays
- Peach Pastries – filled with delicious dulce de leche filling
Ptichye Moloko (Bird’s Milk)
Ingredients
- 2 (16 oz) sour cream
- 2 (8 oz) original cool whip, - thawed
- 1 cup granulated sugar, - divided
- 4 pockets unflavored gelatin
- 2 cups whole milk – cold, divided
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- white chocolate for garnish - optional
Instructions
Ingredients for Vanilla Layer:
- In a glass measuring cup, sprinkle 2 pockets unflavored gelatin over 1 cup cold whole milk. Stir with a disposable spoon, give 5 minutes for gelatin to bloom and then microwave in 30 seconds intervals, stirring every time until gelatin is dissolved (usually takes 2 minutes). Make sure not to boil! Set aside to slightly cool and for remaining gelatin bubbles to disappear while you beat remaining ingredients. (Note: I always pour the milk and gelatin mixture through a small sieve, to make sure none of the gelatin bubbles get into ptichye moloko; just in case something isn’t fully dissolved).
- In a large bowl, combine 16 oz sour cream, 8 oz thawed cool whip and 1/2 cup sugar. Beat on high speed for about 2 minutes until sugar is dissolved and all ingredients are well combined. Add all of the milk mixture to the bowl at once and beat right away on low speed for 40-60 seconds until everything combined. Quickly pour the cream into a 15×11 baking dish and gently shake the dish to equally spread ptichye moloko throughout the dish. Do not use spatula to spread! It will leave messy edges. Leave it at room temperature while you make the chocolate layer.
Ingredients for Chocolate Layer:
- In a glass measuring cup, sprinkle 2 pockets unflavored gelatin over 1 cup cold whole milk. Stir with a disposable spoon, give 5 minutes for gelatin to bloom and then microwave in 30 seconds intervals, stirring every time until gelatin is dissolved (usually takes 2 minutes). Make sure not to boil! Set aside to slightly cool and for remaining gelatin bubbles to disappear while you beat remaining ingredients. (Note: I always pour the milk and gelatin mixture through a small sieve, to make sure none of the gelatin bubbles get into ptichye moloko, in case something isn’t fully dissolved).
- Combine and whisk 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa powder. In a large bowl, combine 16 oz sour cream, 8 oz thawed cool whip and combined sugar/cocoa mixture. Beat on high speed for about 2 minutes until sugar is dissolved and all ingredients are well combined. Add all of the milk mixture to the bowl at once and beat right away on low speed for 40-60 seconds until everything is combined. Quickly pour the cream over the white layer from step 1 and gently shake the dish for ptichye moloko to equally spread throughout the dish. Do NOT use spatula.
- Cover dessert with plastic food wrap. (Having 4 hands for this would be a great idea so you don’t accidentally drop plastic wrap onto ptichye moloko. It will stick). Refrigerate for 2-3 hours to set. Slice ptichye moloko with thin sharp knife. Garnish with white chocolate pieces before serving.
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Elizabeth Halen says:
Hello 🙂 if I want to add a cake layer here and use your cream between each layer do you think that would messs everything up? 😅
Olga in the Kitchen says:
This recipe works great if you want to add the sponge layers in between 🙂
Joyce says:
This recipe was easy and it was a hit among my family and coworkers! Where has this been all of my life! So good.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
That’s wonderful, Joyce! Thanks for trying my recipe. I’m so glad it was a hit. It definitely goes fast at our parties.
Marina says:
This recipe is absolute perfection! My family loves it. Thank you! Quick question, will this recipe work well in small cups to serve individually?
Alina says:
Olga, can I substitute whip cream (home made whiped from heavy cream) fir the store bought in this “birds milk” recipe?
Natalie P says:
Great recipe! Topped with whipped cream, strawberries and peaches.
amy says:
Thank you sooo much for this recipe!!!! I made it today and it was absolutely delicious!!! perfect mousse texture….airy , melt in the mouth but holds shape at the same time. Definitely a keeper …saving it in my family recipe book!!!
amy says:
Oh forgot to add that i used same amount of heavy cream instead of cool whip and it was still perfect. Just wanted to mention that as i see many people asking about substitute for whip cream. 🙂
Olga in the Kitchen says:
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Amy! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Denise says:
Can I make this recipe using a 9 X 13 pan?
Thanks!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Hi Denise! Sometimes I use a 9×13, but it makes a very full dish, leaving just few millimeters to the top, and you will need to be extra careful when covering with food wrap before refrigerating so that the food wrap does not fall onto jello (which will destroy the top of it).
Nafisah says:
Hi Olga,
I would really appreciate the version of this recipe with heavy cream substituting for the cool whip.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
You can substitute for the same amount of cool whip. So when it asks for 1 tub (8 oz) cool whip, you would do 1 cup of heavy cream. Hope this helps!
Alina says:
Oh I see you answered this here! Thank you❤️