Mucenici

Mucenici


Today, on the 9th of march the „Mucenici” - a Christian feast of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste is celebrated. On this day every year a typical dessert with the same name „Mucenici” is baked. The dessert is made in the shape of an 8 to look like garlands.

The recipe is different from region to region. In Moldova, the dough is baked and then smeared with honey and walnuts. In Muntenia and Dobrogea, the dough is smaller and cooked in water with sugar, cinnamon and crushed nuts, symbolizing the lake where the Martyrs were cast.

I am originally from Transylvania, and we do not celebrate this day. So we do not have this dessert. The first time I ate the “Mucenici” it was in Bucharest and they tasted really good. So I decided to bake them this year. I have decided for the Moldavian variant, and now I share the recipe with you.


Mucenici



You need (for 4 servings):


For the dough:
For the syrup
And we also need:
500 g flour
200 ml water
1 egg york
125 ml warm water
100 g sugar
50 ml milk
125 ml warm milk
1 handful finely chopped walnuts
150 g sugar
honey
80 g butter
grated zest from on lemon

1 egg


1 tsp salt


1 package (7g) dry yeast




How do we proceed?


Place the flour in a large bowl, make a well in the center and add all the other ingredients Knead to smooth, non-sticky dough. I first used the dough hook of the mixer, and then I kneaded the dough for another 5-10 minutes with my hands. If the dough is too sticky, add 1-2 tbsp flour. Cover the batter and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.


Mucenici dough


Divide the dough to equally sized balls (they should have between 55-65 g). Form from each ball ~ 50 cm long , pencil-thin sticks. Weave the sticks and form a circle. From the circle an 8 shape. Place on a lined with baking paper sheet.


shaping Mucenici


Mix egg yolk with milk and mop the "Mucenici" with this mixture. Bake them in the preheated oven at 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes.




In the meantime, boil a syrup from water, sugar, vanilla sugar, vanilla essence and lemon zest. Remove from heat and let cool. Brush the "Mucenici" with the syrup, then with honey and garnish with walnuts. Serve warm or cold.


Mucenici
Mucenici

No comments