Mazurek Polish Easter Cake Recipes

MAZUREK KRóLEWSKI: POLISH ROYAL MAZUREK RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• By hand, stir in almonds, zest , flour, making sure to measure flour correctly , and the two hard-cooked egg yolks.
• Add raw egg yolk, salt, and cinnamon, and mix into a smooth dough. This entire process, from step 1, can be done in a food processor, if you prefer.
• Place dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 375 F. Cut off 1/3 dough and return, wrapped, to the refrigerator. Roll out 2/3 dough and place on an 8-inch-by-11-inch tart pan with a removal bottom or a small sheet pan. Pierce or "dock" the dough with the tines of a fork.
• In a small bowl, make an egg wash by whisking together the 1 whole egg with 1 teaspoon water.
• Roll out remaining 1/3 dough and cut into 1/4-inch strips. Arrange strips lattice-style over dough. Brush lattice strips with the egg wash.
• Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until light golden brown and crisp.
• Allow to cool completely. Place pastry on a serving plate and spoon fruit preserves alternately into the open spaces of the lattice work. Sprinkle lightly with confectioners' sugar.

MAZUREK (POLISH EASTER CAKE)

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons butter, sugar, and egg in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in mashed egg yolks. Add flour, ground almonds, and lemon zest. Knead into a dough. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Roll out 2/3 of the dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle the size of the baking sheet. Lay onto the prepared baking sheet. Roll remaining dough into finger-thick rolls. Press dough rolls onto the cake in a diamond-shaped pattern. Brush rolls with beaten egg.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Pour 1/4 cup water into a saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin powder on top. Let stand until softened, about 1 minute. Place over low heat; stir constantly until granules are completely dissolved, about 3 minutes.
• Heat cherry and apricot preserves in 2 small pots over low heat until hot. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Mix half of the dissolved gelatin into each flavor. Alternate filling the diamond shapes of the cake with the 2 different flavors. Arrange sliced almonds and candied cherries into flower shapes on top.

ROYAL MAZURKA (MAZUREK KROLEWSKI)

Steps:

• Mazurkas:.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Beat eggs with sugar for 10 minutes, until light and fluffy. Mix water with lemon juice, and add to the eggs in a thin stream while beating. Beat 5 more minutes. Add flour, almonds, and butter alternately. Mix lightly to incorporate.
• Divide batter between two 9 X 13 baking pans lined with buttered parchment paper.
• Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden.
• Cool slightly, then turn them out onto a rack to completely cool.
• Meanwhile make icing (directions below).
• Spread one cake with jam, cover it with the other cake and spread the icing over the top.
• Icing:.
• Stir warm water, lemon juice and confectioner's sugar together until the sugar completely dissolves and the icing is smooth. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add more water if necessary. If you get it too thin, add more sugar.

MAZUREK WILENSKI (VILNIAN MAZURKA)

Steps:

• To prepare dough: use a knife to cut the butter into the flour, then rub it in with your fingertips.
• Add the powdered sugar, baking powder, egg, egg yolk, and sour cream; mix together.
• Knead with your hands until dough is smooth and can be formed into a compact ball.
• Wrap in waxed paper or place in a covered dish and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Grease a 12"x15" cookie sheet with the remaining tablespoon of butter; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of flour, tipping from side to side to cover completely and evenly.
• Turn the sheet upside down and tap on the bottom to shake off any excess flour.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to 1/4" thin and place on buttered cookie sheet, using fingers to spread dough so it completely covers the bottom of the pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• To prepare filling: beat egg whites until stiff.
• Add sugar a few tablespoons at a time, beating constantly.
• Once all of the sugar has been added, beat for 5 more minutes.
• Fold in the chocolate, almonds, and dates.
• Spread over the dough layer.
• Bake at 350°F until pastry is golden brown (20-25 minutes).
• Allow to cool.
• Mix sugar with rum until smooth; drizzle mixture over mazurka.
• With a lightly buttered knife, cut into squares.