medovnik, more than a cake
April 19, 2007
can anyone claim the title of “most beloved cake” but the medovnik? noone should leave the beautiful czech lands without having eaten a piece of our national cake. it is the paella of valencia, the wurst of bavaria, the kebab of tehran. it is accompanied by an exclamation of no less than “oh my God”. but beware lest ye Over-indulge (simple medovnik indulgence should be acceptable) in this most delicious cake. “In all matters moderation is desirable.” and you should “not eat except when you are hungry.” i know it’s difficult to refuse “just one more tiny little piece”. and for those of you who are unfortunate enough not to live in cake proximity, heres the original recipe:
Ingredients:
* 1 cup sugar
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1/4 cup butter
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* Cream FillingPreheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly flour a cookie sheet. Precut 5 sheets of wax paper or parchment paper into 8-inch circles (dimensions don’t matter, thickness does). If using wax paper, lightly grease.
In a small bowl, combine sugar and eggs; set aside. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add honey, egg-sugar mixture, and baking powder; stir constantly until well blended and foamy. Remove from heat. Stir in flour until dough is not sticky (if sticky add additional flour).
Separate dough into (5) five equal pieces and place onto the wax paper or parchment paper circles; cover each with plastic wrap to keep warm. Using a floured rolling pin, roll one section into a round 1/4-inch thick. Place on prepared cookie sheet (if using wax paper, remove) and bake 3 to 5 minute or until just barely golden but not brown (watch it carefully). Remove from and oven. Remove from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining (4) four sections of the dough, reflouring cookie sheet if necessary.
Prepare Cream Filling. On a large serving dish, alternate 5 layers of cake circles and Cream Filling, applying the cream filling liberally between layers. With the fifth layer, crumble the cake into small pieces and sprinkle over the top of the cake. Let the cake sit 6 to 8 hours before serving.
Yields one cake.Cream Filling
* 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
* 3 eggs, beaten
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 1/4 cup butterIn a large saucepan over medium heat, combine sweetened condensed milk, eggs, honey, and butter. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil; boil until it thickens. Remove from heat and cool.
