Food historian Anu Kannike told "Ringvaate" about the history of the treat on Tuesday.

"The original idea for kohuke actually comes from Moscow, where the product was introduced in the late 1930s. One of the concepts behind kohuke was that it could serve as a replacement for pasha, a traditional Easter dish associated with the church," Kannike said.

Initially, the product was only sold in limited quantities. But in 1949, large-scale industrial production began in Latvia, and then Estonia.

Kannike said the Estonian food industry also had an important role to play in its development. "This diverse selection of kohuke varieties is still a credit to our local food producers," she said.

The bars were primarily aimed at children, and as the range of sweets was not large in the Soviet Union, kohuke immediately became a big hit.

But, at first, shops were hesitant to sell the products as they lacked refrigeration equipment.

"Store and cafeteria managers were reluctant to take the risk that the product might spoil, as they were responsible for paying fines. Despite the demand, a shortage of kohuke persisted throughout the entire Soviet era," the historian told the show.

Kannike said the story of how the kohuke was named in Estonia is very interesting.

"Initially, the term was directly translated from Russian as "sweet curd cheese" ("magus kohupiima juustuke"). In 1972, the Estonian Language Society organized a competition to find new words, and "kohuke" was suggested. It proved to be a very fitting and catchy term, quickly becoming widely adopted," she said.

Kohuke can be found in every supermarket in Estonia in a wide range of flavors. In recent years, non-dairy alternatives have been developed and are made from tofu.

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