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Polish Housewife

Polish recipes served up with tidbits of folklore, customs, and history

Polish Desserts

Cytrynowa Babka (Lemon Babka)

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Cytrynowa Babka (Lemon Babka) is a wonderful accompaniment to tea or a bright lemony treat to serve for Easter. I’ve been wanting to make one ever since our friend, Symon, said Cytrynowa Babka (pronunciation) was his favorite.

Cytrynowa Babka (Lemon Babka)

Many babkas  are a yeast bread sort of cake. This one reminds me of a pound cake. The leavening comes from beaten eggs and baking powder, and it’s made with equal weights of butter, sugar, and flour.

Cytrynowa Babka (Lemon Babka)

I’ve tried a traditionally Polish method for preparing the bundt pan — buttering the pan and then coating with bread crumbs (unseasoned, of course). It adds a wee bit of texture to the crust, but I’ve never had a bundt cake release so well, the finish is perfect.

This wonderful moist cake comes from Ciasto.net, a Polish website for homebaked goods.

Smacznego!

Lois

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Cytrynowa Babka (Lemon Babka)

Cytrynowa Babka (Lemon Babka)

  • Author: Polish Housewife
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 50 min
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 10 - 12 serving
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Polish
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Description

A lemony cake for tea or Easter dinner

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs, seperated and at room temp
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup plus 1 tablepoon butter, room temp
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • butter and breadcrumbs (or flour) for preparing pan
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, approximately, enough to make a thick, but still runny glaze

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F
  2. Beat egg yolks with sugar and butter until fluffy, mix in lemon zest
  3. Beat egg whites and dash of salt until stiff peaks form, fold into butter mixture
  4. Fold in flour and baking powder
  5. Prepare an 8 cup bundt pan by brushing with butter and dusting with breadcrumbs
  6. Spoon the stiff batter into pan, bake for 50 minutes
  7. Cool 10-15 minutes, then flip pan onto serving plate to remove cake
  8. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice, beat until smooth, and smooth over cooled cake

Notes

The butter and breadcrumbs worked better than anything else I’ve tried for gettig a bundt pan to release the cake unscathed.

 

Mazurek Królewski (Royal Mazurek)

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One thing I learned visiting Polish friends after Easter is that everyone makes Mazurek, and their Eastertide guests get to sample! Mazureks are highly decorated, short crust tarts. It’s also a dance, a type of music, and even a surname, but my favorite Mazurek is the pastry. Last year, I made two for our Easter celebration, one topped with a chocolate hazelnut spread, the other with caramel. This year, I’m trying out Mazurek Królewski (Royal Mazurek). This recipe is based on one I found on MniamMniam.pl. according to Grzegorz, the Polish food blogger, this sweet is for more than just the holidays.

Mazurek Królewski (Royal Mazurek)

Grzegorz suggests drizzling the finished tart with a glaze. I was lazy and just dusted it with powdered sugar, but the next time I make it, I will leave it plain. For me the royal aspect of this tart is all about the colorful jams. I don’t want to do anything to mute the jewel-like colors. Next time, they will shine!

In my mind, I was going to create a geometric masterpiece, a lattice of wonderful straight lines without a patch in sight. That was before I met the crust. It’s a little temperamental, with a mind of its own. Even though I used a ruler, I had to accept to a more homespun look for my lattice.

Speaking of amazing lattice tops (in my dreams), have you checked out lokokitchen on instagram? Her pies are works of art!

I hope this jewel top Mazurek will be part of your Easter celebration.

Smacznego!

Lois

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Mazurek Królewski (Royal Mazurek)

  • Author: Polish Hhousewife
  • Prep Time: 20 min
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 12 x 8 inch tart
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Polish
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Description

A lattice topped, short crust tart finished with jewel toned jams

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup almonds
  • 10 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 hard boiled egg yolks, pushed through a sieve
  • 1 raw egg yolk
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 egg for egg wash
  • raspberry and apricot jams
  • sliced or slivered almonds for optional garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F, and spray a nonstick 12×8 inch tart pan (with removable bottom)
  2. In the food processor with steel blade, grind almonds, set aside
  3. Add butter to the processor bowl and pulse until light, add the sugar, pulse
  4. Add the flour, sieve egg yolks, the raw egg yolk, the groud almonds, and the salt
  5. Process until well combined, but don’t over mix
  6. Roll out 2/3 of the dough to line pan, it should be about 1/3 inch thick, you may need to piece and patch
  7. Roll out remaining 1/3, cut into strips, about 1/2 inch wide, and criss-cross over crust to make a lattice
  8. Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash, bruch over pastry
  9. Bake about 30 minutes, until golden brown, cool
  10. Fill in between the lattice with warm jam, add almond slivers or slices (optional)

Kostka Alpejska (Cube from the Alps)

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here’s a side view of Elzbieta’s cake – a slice of the cube

My friend Elzbieta made Kostka Alpejska (Cube from the Alps) as one of her Easter cakes along with Mazurek a few years ago, and I was lucky enough to sample it during an Eastertide visit to her home. Cube from the Alps or Alpine Brick depending on your translation is a thin cake of chocolate sponge, topped with a caremel buttercream into which you’ve added small little baked meringue kisses (beza). The whole thing is then topped with stabilized whipped cream and shaved chocolate. It makes for a striking presentation.

Kostka Alpejska (Cube from the Alps)

Kostka Alpejska (Cube from the Alps) is sweeter than most Polish desserts, making it just right for the American palate. Maybe you’ll want to add Kostka Alpejska (Cube from the Alps) to your Easter menu this year!

Smacznego!

Lois

 

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Kostka Alpejska (Cube from the Alps)

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Polish Housewife
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Description

Reminiscent of tiramisu, this layered dessert is sweeter than most Polish pastry

Ingredients

for the cake:

  • 4 eggs, seperated
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup cocoa
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/4  cup coffee liqueur
  • 1/2 cup seedless blackberry preserves

For the frosting:

  • 14 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 14 ounce can Dulcede Leche (or a can of sweetned condensed milk that you have submerged in boiling water for 3 hours, you’ll have to keep adding water, but the milk will caramelize)
  • 1/4 cup Ajerkoniak (I substituted Bailey’s Irish Cream)
  • 2 teaspoons instant coffee
  • 8 ounces dried meringue kisses
  • 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
  • 16 ounces heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 340 F
  2. Grease a 9 inch x 13 inch pan
  3. Beat egg whites for 2 – 3 minutes, slowly add sugar and beat 3 minutes more
  4. Beat in egg yolks
  5. Sift together cocoa and flour, add to fluffy egg mixture in 3 small batches, mix until just combined
  6. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top springs back when touched lightly, or a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean
  7. Cool
  8. Combine the coffee liqueur with 1/4 cup water and brush over cake
  9. Warm the blackberry preserves until thin and brush over cake

Frosting and assembly

  1. Beat the butter until light and fluffy
  2. Add the dulce de leche, ajerkoniak and instant coffee, beat until light and fluffy
  3. Crush meringues, and stir into the caramel buttercream
  4. Spread over the cake and chill
  5. Sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons water
  6. Warm in the microwave for a few seconds to melt the gelatin, cool
  7. Beat cream until soft peaks form, continue to beat while slowly adding sugar and vanilla
  8. When the beaters are leaving a track in the cream, add the gelatin
  9. Spread the whipped cream over the buttercream layer
  10. Use a microplaner or a box grater to shave chocolate over the cream
  11. Refrigerate until ready to serve, cut into small cubes

Notes

If you don’t want to be one of those bakers with a dozen liqueur bottles on the shelf (not that I see anything wrong with that, but it gets expensive), mini-bottles are just the right size for this recipe. Total Wine and More is a great source for mini-bottles of just about everything.

Using dissolved gelatin to stabalize whipped cream is a great trick. It will keep the cream from seperating and getting runny if you need to make it in advance.

Naleśniki z Serem – Polish Crepes with Cheese

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Thought to originate in Central Europe, we know them in the USA by their Yiddish name, Blintzes. These super thin pancakes filled with a ligtly sweet farmer’s cheese were well known in Hungary, Slovakia, Russia, and Poland before the rest of the world discovered Naleśniki z Serem – Polish Crepes with Cheese around 1800.

Naleśniki z Serem - Polish Crepes with Cheese

Elegant in appearance, to me, this is typical of Polish desserts, not too sweet, which makes me inclined to give them a drizze of chocolate sauce. 🙂

Smacznego!

Lois

PS – These are also excellent with a spread of Nutella and banana slices! YUM-O!

 

Naleśniki z Serem - Polish Crepes with Cheese

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Naleśniki z Serem – Polish Crepes with Cheese

  • Author: Polish Housewife
  • Prep Time: 70 min
  • Cook Time: 10 min
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 6 crepes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Polish
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Description

Thin pancakes filled with lightly sweetened farmer’s cheese, top with a fruit or chocolate sauce

Ingredients

for the crepes:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup warm water

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons melted butter

for the filling:

12 ounces farmer’s cheese

2 ounces cream cheese

1 egg yolk

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

zest of a lemon

Instructions

for the crepes:

  • Combine the flour, milk, water, eggs, and salt
  • Let the batter rest for an hour
  • Add the butter and a little water if too thick
  • Heat a pan over medium-high heat, brush with butter
  • Add a scant 1/4 cup of batter, tilting and shaking the pan to spread the batter into a circle approximately 8 inches in diameter
  • Just as the top of the batter begins to set, flip the crepe and cook the other side for about 15 seconds
  • Repeat until the batter is used up

for filling:

  • Combine the cheeses, egg yolk, sugar
  • Stir in butter, salt, and lemon zest

to assemble:

  • Spoon a line of filling about 1 inch by 4 inches in each crepe
  • Fold the sides in and roll to wrap filling
  • Lightly brown filled crepes on both sides in butter
  • Top as desired

Notes

Top with chocolate sauce or a fruit sauce such as this

Serniki Migdałowe Polish Almond Cheesecakes

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These beautiful little Serniki Migdałowe Polish Almond Cheesecakes popped up on Facebook recently. They’re mini-cheesecakes, individual servings that resemble a head of cabbage or a flower bud. Their architectural look is so appealing, as is the taste! A step-by-step video from Smaczny.tv made them seem like something very doable, so long as you can read the ingredients in Polish. I think I’ve managed to do just that. (Click on Serniki Migdalowe above to hear the pronunciation. It was requested that I let readers know how to pronounce Polish words, and I was terrible at phonics in 3rd grade, so rather than writing it phonetically, you get an audio recording. It will be a good chuckle for the native Polish speakers in the crowd!)

Serniki Migdałowe Polish Almond Cheesecakes

Two things became very apparent to me as I began assembling this dessert:

The folks are Smadzny.tv are professionals. Everything they’ve done is perfect! The circle of dough is a perfect circle, the filling texture is ideal. The good news is that mine are not perfect and the end product is still very attractive and delicious.

The second thing that crossed my mind was that sometimes, Polish cooks and American cooks go about things very differently to wind up at the same place — the yeast dough in this case. I often use a dry yeast packet as this recipes uses. I would normally dissolve the yeast in warm (110 F) liquid (in this case the milk and melted butter) and a little bit of the sugar to be sure the yeast is active. I’ve written this recipe as closely as I can to the video. The yeast is one of the last things to go into the dough. It goes in after the flour and before the melted butter. Adding the butter at the end was unusual for me too. It took a lot of kneading to incorporate the butter, but it did have the added benefit of greasing the bowl in which the dough was to rise. Something that’s usually an extract step.

Serniki Migdałowe Polish Almond Cheesecakes

I’m so intrigued by these little sernik bundles that I will make them again. Maybe a little almond extract next time? Maybe try parbaking and freezing them. You see, in 2019, I’m planning to cook a large meal at the church where I work as a fundraiser for an after-school program the church operates. It will be dinner for 60 – 100. Tickets will be pricey, this is a fundraiser after all. So the meal needs to be interesting and special. I’d like to do a Polish menu, but I worry that Polish food isn’t that well-known in this part of the country and not everyone is as adventurous, who am I kidding? Most people are not as adventurous as Ed and me when it comes to food. I think these serniki might be safe enough and special enough to qualify if I can find a reasonable way to make 100 of them along with several other courses. I’ll keep you posted –Serniki Migdałowe Polish Almond Cheesecakes for the masses.

Smacznego!

Lois

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Serniki Migdałowe Polish Almond Cheesecakes

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Polish Housewife
  • Prep Time: 60 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 mins
  • Yield: 12
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Polish
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Description

Beautiful individual little almond cheesecakes wrapped in leaves of a sweet yeast dough

Ingredients

for crust:

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 4 cups flour
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 packet dry yeast
  • 7 tablespoons butter, melted

for filling

  • 1 1/4 cups Twarog, farmers cheese
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 1/2 cup finely ground almonds (almond meal)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 egg beaten for egg wash
  • thinly sliced almonds for garnish
  • powdered sugar for garnish

Instructions

for dough

  1. Add 3 egg yolks and salt to a bowl, whisk to combine
  2. Stir in 1/3 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla
  3. Add milk
  4. Stir in flour, lemon zest, and yeast
  5. Add melted butter and knead until uniformly incorporated
  6. Cover, let rise in a warm place for 40 minutes

for filling

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F
  2. Combine twarog, orange zest, and ground almonds
  3. Stir in sugar and vanilla
  4. Add 1 egg yolk

to assemble

  1. Divide dough into 12 equal portions
  2. Roll each piece into a circle approximately 6 inches wide
  3. Take 1/12 of the filling (approximately 2 tablespoons), shape it into a ball and place in the center of the dough circle
  4. Make four cuts in the dough from the edge, almost up to the filling, at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00.
  5. Dip your fingertip in water and lightly moisten the outside edge of the dough
  6. Fold one petal up on the filling, securing the edges at the bottom of the dough
  7. Repeat with the three remaining petals, the filling will just peek out of the center
  8. Use your hands to round out the bottom of the bundles
  9. Place on a parchment line baking sheet
  10. Brush with beaten egg
  11. Press a few almond slices into the sides of the dough petals
  12. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown
  13. Cool, dust with powdered sugar

Notes

My health food/farmers market style store had tubs of farmers cheese, but I opted for ricotta because it was cheaper and closer to the quantity I needed. I figured once I added all the other things, any difference would not be noticeable. But the texture of the mixture was a little runny, so I popped it in the freezer for a few minutes to firm it up and make it easier to form a golf ball shape for the filling.

I warmed a bit of lingenberry jam, put a spoonful on the serving plate and gave it a smear to add a bit of color to this yummy but beige dessert.

 

 

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Trufle Czekoladowe Chocolate Truffles

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Want to recreate the Wawel Trufle? (affliliate link*) Trufle Czekoladowe Chocolate Truffles are rich, creamy, and decadent. They’re also so incredibly easy to make. I whipped up a batch this week to share with my colleagues. I mixed them up one evening in about five minutes. The chocolate molten mass needs to chill overnight, so the next evening I shaped the chocolate into little balls and rolled them in cocoa powder.

Trufle Czekoladowe Chocolate Truffles

I’d seen truffles rolled in colorful nonpareil sprinkles, so I tried that with one because I liked the look, but after tasting it, discarded the idea. The hard little sprinkles were overpowering. Their crunchiness distracted from the creamy texture of the chocolate. It just wasn’t worth it to get the pop of color.

I have a bit of the filling left, and will try dipping it in tempered chocolate or a melted chocolate bark. This will take more time. It won’t be so quick and easy, but will more closely resemble the Wawel treats. I’ll update to let you know if it’s worth the trouble.

I flavored my truffles with brandy, but you could use rum, or a flavored liqueur. I think a homemade cherry vodka would be nice.

For gifting, I popped a truffle into a mini white muffin cup and put four into a three inch paper mache box with a lid. I found a dozen on Amazon (affiliate link*).

I have received little truffles like this from the chef at the end of a meal, and it always feels like a very special treat. Now you can make your own special treats too.

Smacznego!

Lois

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Trufle Czekoladowe Chocolate Truffles

  • Author: Polish Housewife
  • Yield: 60 1-inch truffles
  • Category: Dessert
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Description

A creamy chocolate candy with a hint of brandy

Ingredients

  • 24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup brandy
  • cocoa powder or metled bark for dipping

Instructions

  1. Heat the chocolate, cream, and butter in the microwave for 1 minutes, stir
  2. Heat an additional 45 seconds, stir, chocolate should be melted and mix easily with cream
  3. Add the vanilla and brandy
  4. When smooth and well combined, cover and refrigerate overnight
  5. Scoop and roll into balls, 1/2 – 1 inch in diameter
  6. Roll in cocoa powder or dip in tempered chocolate or melted bark
  7. Keep refrigerated until shortly before serving
*Affiliate link – means that Amazon pays me a small percentage of any purchases made via the link above. Your price is still the same. It helps to offset the cost of running this website.

Szarlotka z Bezą Polish Apple Pie with Meringue

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My dear friend, Barbara, gave me an easy to prepare Szarlotka recipe that I’ve made several times over the years and shared here. It has become one of the most popular recipes on my website. I’ve been wanting to try a popular variation of szarlotka, topping it with meringue. So, of course, this is the recipe I wanted to adapt. Here, my friends, I give you Szarlotka z Bezą Polish Apple Pie with Meringue.

Szarlotka z Bezą Polish Apple Pie with Meringue

Why add meringue to szarlotka, you may ask. Well, the meringue adds a bright pop of bright white color to an otherwise beige dessert. It’s adds a creamy texture and additional interest to an otherwise already delicious dessert. The recipe calls for egg yolks in the crust, with just a slight modification, we can use an equal number of egg whites in the topping. I’ll freeze extra egg whites for another us, but it’s nice when you don’t have to.

Szarlotka z Bezą Polish Apple Pie with Meringue

How does Szarlotka compare to American pies? It seems less sweet, no sugar is added to the apple filling, so the fruit flavor really comes through. I think you’ll love it!

Smacznego!

Lois

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Szarlotka z Bezą Polish Apple Pie with Meringue

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Prep Time: 60 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 15 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hours 15 mins
  • Yield: 9 inch
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour (250 g)
  • 1 cup sugar (200 g)
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • 9 tablespoons butter (125 g)
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 2¼ pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, & sliced (1 Kg)
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 4 eggs whites
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C)
  2. Combine the flour, sugar, and baking powder
  3. Cut in the butter (with a pastry blender, two knives, or rub into flour with fingers) until it resembles coarse meal
  4. Work in egg yolks, the dough will be crumbly, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes
  5. Reserve ⅓ of the crust, pat the remaining ⅔ into a 9 inch springform pan, covering the bottom and the sides
  6. Toss the sliced apples in the cinnamon, and add to the pan, piling them up
  7. Cover and seal the top of the pan with aluminum foil
  8. Bake for about 50 – 60 minutes, until crust is lightly brown and the apples are tender
  9. Remove from oven, remove foil
  10. Beat egg whites until you have soft peaks
  11. Continue beating and gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, beat until you have stiff, glossy peaks
  12. Spread meringue over szarlotka, crumble the remaing crust and sprinkle over the meringue
  13. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes
  14. Cool

 

Polish Gingerbread Cake Ciasto Imbirowe

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In making this Polish Gingerbread Cake Ciasto Imbirowe, I’m giving you muplitle options, and I hope that doesn’t make it too confusing. You could just make two plain loaves of gingerbread cake and stop there or, possibly brush the top with melted jam and decorate the top of the loaf with dried fruit as you’ll see on Moje Wypieki. I wanted to recreate a commercial pastry that we used to buy at the Zabka, a Polish convenience store, near our apartment in Poznan. It was a package with little petit fours sized cakes that were filled with jam and marzipan and covered in chocolate, absolutely addictive!

Polish Gingerbread Cake Ciasto Imbirowe, filled with apricot jam and marzipan, enrobed in chocolate ganache

I have a mini bundt pan (six little cakes), so I used that in place of one of my loaf pans. I wanted to try putting the jam and marizpan directly into the batter, but I wasn’t sure that would work. My Plan B was to slice the cakes horizontally, brush with melted jam and add a thin layer of marzipan before covering with chocolate ganache. So I filled three of my mini bundt pans only half full of batter, then I made a coil of marzipan about the size of a pencil and added that along with little dabs (about a teaspoon in total) of jam. Then added more batter to cover the filling.

The three remaining mini bundts I left plain in case I needed to make these according to Plan B, thinking that my jam and marzipan might run out and stick to the pan, making the cakes impossible to remove. That didn’t happen, all six cakes cake out nicely. The other half of my batter went into a loaf pan. The batter rises a lot, giving a rustic split to the loaf as it bakes. Still inspired by my gingerbread petit fours, I trimmed the loaf cake until it was a nice rectangle, which I finished off according to Plan B. Using some of the leftover marzipan to make holly leaves.

Polish Gingerbread Cake Ciasto Imbirowe, filled with apricot jam and marzipan, topped with chocolate ganache!

I’m happy to report that baking the marzipan and jam into the batter was successful. The jam and marzipan flavors stayed distinct and unique. I’ll do all of my gingerbread cakes this way in the future becuase it’s easier and the end result flavor-wise is the same. The only reason I see to go to the trouble of rolling out the marizpan and sandwiching it with jam and gingerbread is if you’re after the visual image of the perfect line of contrasting filling as you cut into the cake. There is a pleasing aspect to the look.

Don’t think I wasted the dome I sliced off of the loaf cake. We’ve done a little nibbling and I think the dinner party we’re hosting on Saturday will feature Sauerbraten, a German pot roast seasoned and thickened with gingerbread!

Smacznego!

Lois

 

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Polish Gingerbread Cake Ciasto Imbirowe

  • Author: Polish Housewife
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 45 mins
  • Yield: 2 9x5 loaves or 12 mini bundts
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Polish
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Description

A dense cake-like gingerbread that is extra delicious paired with marzipan, jam, and chocolate ganache

Ingredients

  • 1 cup honey (or golden syrup)
  • 1 cup stong coffee
  • 8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa

for optional filling

  • 4 ounce tube marzipan
  • apricot or plum jam

for ganache topping

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F
  2. Comgine honey, coffee, butter, and spices in a saucepan, heat just enough to let butter, remove from heat
  3. Spray pans with baking spary (the one with flour works best)
  4. Combine eggs, and brown sugar, slowly add in the warm honey mixure with the mixer running
  5. Add baking powder, flour, and cocoa, mix until well combined
  6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pans, the batter is very thick
  7. If you’re adding marzipan directly into the batter, only add half of the batter to the pan, add marzipan and jam (a coil of marzipan made from a 1/3″ slice and approximately a teaspoon of jam in a mini bundt, for a loaf pan, use 5-6 times this amount distributing throughout the loaf pan, avoiding the edges) and then top with remaining batter. I filed my mini bundts to just 1/2 inch below the top, they domed over the top of the pan giving a nice tall mini bundt with a slightly rounded bottom when it’s turned upside down)
  8. Bake about 30 minutes for mini bundts, 45 minutes for loaf pans. You can test for doneness by pressing gently on the top of the cake, it should feel firm and spring back or a toothpick inserted in the top should come out clean
  9. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully remove and cool completely on a wire rack
  10. If you want to add a filling, but didn’t bake it into the dough. slice the cakes into two layers
  11. I trimmed my loaf cake to get a flat top and straight, not flared sides
  12. Roll out the marzipan to about 1/8 inch thickness, cut to the shape of your cake
  13. Heat jam, brush the jam onto what will be the middle of the cake, the top of the bottom layer, the bottom of the top layer, add the thin layer of marzipan on top of the bottom layer and add the top layer, creating a marzipan sandwich

for ganache

  1. Heat the cream and chocolate (about 1 minute on 50% power in my microwave), stir until glossy and smooth
  2. Let the ganache cool for a few minutes to about 100 F (or while you’re preparing the filling)
  3. Spoon ganaache over the top of your cakes
  4. If desired, color leftover marzipan for decoration

 

Dried Fruit Kompot or Kompot z Suszonych Owocow

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Dried Fruit Kompot or Kompot z Suszonych Owocow is often one of the twelve traditional dishes for Christmas Eve or Wigilia in Poland. After simmering dried fruit, spices, and sugar or honey, the “broth” is strained off to served as a holiday beverage. The remaining, now re-hydrated fruit can be served as a stewed fruit, with yogurt, on oatmeal, or, I believe, some even serve it with pasta. I have to tell you, that I fixed this out of curiosity even though I didn’t expect to like Dried Fruit Compote. I half expected the fruit and liquid to taste like the canned fruit cocktail of my childhood. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Dried Fruit Kompot or Kompot z Suszonych Owocow, an elegant non-alcholic beverage for the holidaysI used in order of descending amounts: dried cherries, prunes, dried apples, dried cranberries, dried apricots, and it was delicious. The liquid (fruit broth) kompot was delicious, the fruit itself was wonderful, the spices really added to the taste without being overpowering. YUM!

So easy to make! Dried Fruit Kompot or Kompot z Suszonych Owocow serve this Polish classic as is, or with oatmeal or yogurt, or even with pasta!

Dried Fruit Kompot or Kompot z Suszonych Owocow for Christmas Eve

In the interest of complete disclosure, I have never experienced a traditional Polish Christmas Eve meal or even Kompot z Suszonych Owocow until I made this batch. At a recent Girls Night for drinks and nibbles, the group asked me what Christmas was like in Poland. I confessed that we always came home to Tucson for Christmas with our family, so I hadn’t experienced it first hand, but from what I know of it, the huge family celebration involves decorating the tree on Christmas Eve, a little straw underneath the table cloth to remind everyone that Jesus was born in a manger. The meal is not eaten until the first star is seen, it consists of twelve (to represent the apostles) meatless dishes, including at least one soup. The soup(s) might be beet and/or mushroom. There may be a couple of fish dishes, herring is popular, and Jewish style carp. Makowiec, poppy seed roll is a popular dessert for Wigilia. After this feast, a midnight mass takes us from Advent to Christmas.

Quick and easy; Dried Fruit Kompot or Kompot z Suszonych Owocow, a Polish classic, to eat or drink!

Whether you drink or eat your Dried Fruit Kompot or Kompot z Suszonych Owocow, I think you’ll love it.

Smacznego!

Lois

 

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Dried Fruit Kompot or Kompot z Suszonych Owoców

  • Author: Polish Housewife
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 8 servings
  • Category: Beverage
  • Cuisine: Polish
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Description

Dried fruit and spices create a favorful winter drink

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds dried fruit, any variety
  • 1 cup sugar, or less to taste
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 6 cloves
  • 3 whole allspice

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients and bring to a gentle simmer, cover
  2. Simmer for 20 – 30 minutes
  3. Cool
  4. Strain to serve as a beverage
  5. Serve fruit with or without liquid

 

Cranberry Orange Babka or Babka Zurawina z Pomarancza

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When I was baking my way through a cake cookbook, a cake a week, Ed would often take cake to work while we were in Poland. One week, he was working at the other F-16 base in Poland, near Lask, so this group got to sample the weekly baking. Tradition at this smaller base included all the pilots gathering for a tea break, so my contribution was perfect. The Polish pilots said the cake reminded them of a babka; they then went on to tell Ed that babka referred to a pretty girl. Actually, it means grandmother. The yeast cake, which is usually baked in a bundt pan, is said to resemble a grandmother’s skirt, but I do appreciate their attempt to flatter the cook.

Cranberry Orange Babka or Bakba żurawina z pomarańczą - a wonderful tart sweet yeast bread, perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas!

Cranberry Orange Babka or Babka żurawina z pomarańczą is only the second babka I’ve made; it seemed like the perfect flavor combination for this time of year. The recipe is adapted from the King Arthur website. With fresh and dried cranberries, the little red jewels, żurawina, are the predominate flavor. The yeast dough is light and tender, the perfect medium to convery the cranberry orange jam like mixture.

Whether you identify as a pretty girl or a grandmother, or a pretty grandmother (handsome grandfather?), I hope you’ll enjoy cranberry orange babka zurawina z pomarancza.

Smacznego!

Lois

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Cranberry Orange Babka żurawina z pomarańczą

  • Author: Polish Housewife
  • Prep Time: 3 hours 45 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 4 hours 30 mins
  • Yield: 1 loaf
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Polish
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Description

A colorful and tart yeast bread

Ingredients

for the dough:

  • 1/2 cup lukewarm milk (110 F)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 egg egg
  • 3 tablespoons softened butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 2 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

for the filling:

  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Pour warm milk into a bowl, sprinkle with dried yeast and sugar
  2. Stir, let sit about 5 minutes, it should begin to get frothy
  3. Add egg, butter, vanilla, 1 teaspoon orange zest, flour, and salt, stir and knead until everything is incorporated into a smooth dough
  4. Lightly grease a bowl, put dough into bowl and turn over (to lightly grease the top), cover and let sit in a warm spot until doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes
  5. Make the filling while the dough rises by adding orange juice, brown sugar, and all the cranberries to a saucepan
  6. Cook over medium low heat until the fresh cranberries begin to pop and the texture becomes jam-like
  7. Remove from heat, stir in buter, orange zest, and cinnamon, cool
  8. Roll out the dough to form a 12 inch x 14 inch rectangle
  9. Spread the cranberry mixture over the dough, leaving about 1/2 inch near one of the short ends bare
  10. Roll up the dough starting from the opposite side, pinch the edge without filling to seal the roll
  11. Slice in half lengthwise, place both halves next to each other with cut sides up, twist the two pieces around each other, keeping the cut sides up (if you study my photo, you’ll see I forgot this step)
  12. Pinch the ends together and place in a greased 9 inch x 5 inch loaf pan
  13. Cover and let rise in a warm place until it just begins to get higher than the pan
  14. Preheat over to 350
  15. Bake for 45 minutes (internal temp 190 F), loosley tenting with foil after 30 miinutes to keep it from getting too dark
  16. Rub the top with butter after baking to keep the crust soft
  17. Cook in the pan for 10 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack
  18. Slice to serve