Ukrainian Honey Horns with Almond Filling (Rohalyky z medom i
migdalamy)

Posted by Olga 1/5/2002 9:12 am

Source: Traditional Ukrainian Cookery - S.
Stechishin

These yeast dough crescents are simply terrific for a brunch,
for afternoon tea, or as an after-school snack for children.

Dough
1 envelope dry yeast
1 cup evaporated milk
4 large eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 pound butter

Glaze
1/4 cup honey mixed with 1 tablespoon sherry

Almond Filling
1/2 cup unpeeled almonds
1 cup blanched almonds
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream or evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Dough: Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm milk, add 1 tablespoon
sugar, and allow to foam for a few minutes.
Beat sugar and eggs
until thick.
Alternately add milk, yeast mixture, and flour to form
a soft dough.
Roll out into a rectangle 1 inch thick, brush surface
with melted butter, and roll tightly.
Cut into thirds, and
refrigerate covered in plastic wrap for 4 hours or overnight.

Almond Filling: Roast unpeeled almonds in heavy skillet until
brown but not burned.
Grate or process all almonds fine.
Add sugar,
cream, and almond extract, and mix until thick.
Add a little more
cream if too thick.

Roll one-third of the dough into a rectangle 1/2 inch thick.
with a sharp knife cut 4-inch squares.
Place 1 tablespoon filling
in each square, fold to make a triangle, and roll up.
Place on
greased baking sheet and shape into crescents or “horns.” Repeat
with remaining ingredients.
Allow to rise double.
Bake in preheated
350 degree F oven for 25 minutes or until golden.
Brush with honey
glaze and return to oven for 5 more minutes.
Cool on racks.

Ukrainian Country Babka

Posted by Olga March 20, 2002 15:31:07

2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 packages dry granular yeast
1 cup scalded milk, lukewarm
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
5 1/2 cups sifted flour, about
1 cup or more raisins

Dissolve the sugar in the lukewarm water, sprinkle the yeast
over it, and let stand until softened.
Combine with the lukewarm
milk and 1 cup of flour.
Beat well, cover, and allow the sponge to
rise in a warm place until light and bubbly.
Beat the eggs with the
salt, add the sugar gradually, and continue beating.
Beat in the
butter and lemon rind.

Combine this mixture with the sponge.
Stir in the flour and
knead in the bowl for about 10 minutes.
This dough should be
slightly thicker than for the usual babka mixture.
Knead in the
raisins.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk.
Punch down, knead a few times, and let it rise again.
Butter tall,
round baking pans (or coffee cans) with soft butter and fill them
one-third full.
I like to use greased parchment paper on the bottom
of pan.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until the dough reaches
the brim of the pan.
Bake in a moderately hot oven (400 degrees F)
for about 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees F
and continue baking for 40 minutes longer, or until done.
Avoid
browning the top too deeply.
If necessary, cover with aluminum
foil.
Remove the loaves from the pans and allow them to cool.

Babka with Pumpkin

This is a very old recipe, but it is worth preserving.
Mashed
pumpkin imparts a mellow, yellow color to babka and keeps it fresh
and soft for days.
A fewer number of eggs is required when pumpkin
is used.

Follow the preceding recipe for Country Babka.
Add 1/2 to 2/3
cup of cooked, mashed pumpkin, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and 1/2 cup of
orange juice and about 4 eggs.
Add enough flour to give a soft
dough.

Walnut-Almond Torte

Posted by Olga 1/14/2002 1:58 pm

Source: Traditional Ukrainian Cookery

Here is an exceedingly good layered nut torte, the queen of all
tortes, that immigrated to Canada with the contributor after the
Second World War.
It is made of two different batter mixtures.
The
filling is luscious.
Thank you Mrs.
H.
Dershko, Saskatoon,
Sask.

Walnut Layers (2)
8 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar (icing)
2 cups walnuts, grated
4 tablespoons, fine bread crumbs

Beat the egg yolks until light.
Add the sugar gradually and beat
until thick and fluffy.
Stir in the nuts and bread crumbs.

Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold gently into the
mixture.

Butter two 9-inch deep layer pans (shallow pans may cause the
batter to run over in the oven) with soft butter and sprinkle with
fine bread crumbs.

Spoon the batter into the pans.
Bake 350 degrees F for 30 to 35
minutes, or until done when tested.
Remove from the pans and place
on a cake rack.

Almond Layer (1)
3 to 4 eggs, separated
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2/3 cup grated almonds
2 tablespoons fine bread crumbs

Beat the egg yolks until light.
Add the sugar gradually and
continue beating until thick and fluffy.
Beat in the lemon rind and
juice.
Stir in the almonds and bread crumbs.

Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold gently into the
mixture.
Spoon the batter into a deep, buttered layer cake pan
sprinkled with bread crumbs.

Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees F) for 30 to 35 minutes or
until done.
Remove from the pan and place on a cake rack.
Prepare
the following filling.

Filling
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons strong cool coffee
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blend the egg yolks with 1/2 cup of the sugar in a saucepan;
cook this mixture over simmering water, stirring constantly, until
it thickens.

Remove it from the heat and cool.

Cream the butter, add the remaining 1 cup of sugar gradually,
and continue creaming until smooth.

Blend in the yolk-sugar mixture, coffee and vanilla extract.
Beat thoroughly.

Spread this filling between the 3 layers of the torte, on the
sides, and over the top.
Decorate with toasted, slivered
almonds.

Ukrainian Sponge Coffee Torte

Posted by Olga 5/5/02 11:32:19 am

A very light and tender torte with a mild coffee flavor.
The
filling is satin-smooth and rich.

1 cup strong coffee (2 tablespoons coffee to 1 cup water)
1 cup sifted CAKE flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Few grains salt
5 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar

Prepare the coffee and cool it.
Reserve 1/2 cup of the coffee
for the filling.

Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt twice.
Beat the
egg whites until stiff.
Add 1/2 cup of the sugar gradually and beat
constantly until thick.

Now beat the egg yolks until light.
Add the other 1/2 cup sugar
gradually and continue beating until light and fluffy.

Combine both mixtures and fold to blend thoroughly.
Add the
flour alternately with 1/2 cup of the cooled coffee.

Spoon the batter into an ungreased, deep, round baking pan.
Best
to use springform pan.
Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees F) for
about 45 minutes, or until done when tested.

Invert on a cake rack and cool.
Cut the cake into 2 layers.
Spread the following filling between the layers, over the top and
on the sides:

Filling
1 cup butter (soft)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup strong coffee
2 egg yolks
Toasted slivered almonds

Cream the butter with the sugar until very light.
Add the coffee
gradually and beat with a rotary beater until fluffy.
Beat in the
egg yolks.

The filling should be of a spreading consistency.
Spread as
directed.
Decorate with the toasted almonds.
Place the torte in a
cool place for several hours before cutting.

Ukrainian Cherry Charlotte

Posted by Olga 7/25/02 7:49:58 am

The Ukrainians make a variety of cherry liqueurs.
For the
charlotte, they use a sweet ratafia.
If you aren’t in the habit of
making your own cherry liqueur, you can use kirsch or cherry
brandy.

Serves 4 to 6

1 1/2 pounds pitted cherries
1/2 cup vanilla sugar (divided)
1/2 cup cherry liqueur or kirsch
1/2 pound (about 36) ladyfingers, preferably homemade
1 cup whipped cream
Extra whipped cream and sugar for serving

Put 1 pound of the pitted cherries in a bowl with half the of
the sugar and 2 tablespoons cherry liqueur.
Liquidize in the
blender the remaining cherries with a few tablespoons of water.
Mix
with the rest of the liqueur and use it to MOISTEN the
ladyfingers.

Line the bottom and sides of a springform pan with some of the
moistened ladyfingers.

Fold the remaining sugar into the whipped cream.
Put a generous
layer of cherries over the moistened ladyfingers on the bottom and
cover them with a layer of whipped cream.
Cover this with a layer
of ladyfingers.
Continue in this way, finishing with a layer of
ladyfingers.
Chill in the refrigerator.

Unmold and serve with more sweetened whipped cream.

Olga’s Ukrainian Filled Dumplings (Varenyky - Perogies)

Posted by Olga 2/12/2002 8:13 am

Source: Festive Ukrainian Cooking

For Christmas Eve potato and cabbage fillings prevail.
The dough
should be thin, but not too thin, and resilient to the bite, but
not tough; the filling should be distinct, but not overwhelming, in
flavor.

There are as many variations on this dough as there are
Ukrainian cooks.
Potato filling is by far the most popular for
varenyky.
Many non-Ukrainians are under the false impression that
potato is the only filling for varenyky.
Before the nineteenth
century, however, the potato was scarcely used in Ukraine; varenyky
were filled with a turnip and onion filling.

These half moons of dough may be filled with a variety of
fruits, vegetables, meats and cheeses, although for Christmas Eve
potato and cabbage fillings are the favorite.

5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup water (more or less as needed)

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl, forming a well in
the center.
Add the soft butter and evaporated milk gently until
all the flour is absorbed.

Add water as needed.
Knead dough until it sticks together.
Let
rest 5 minutes, then knead until smooth.
Cover and set aside.

Place dough in a greased bowl, turn to coat, and cover.
Let set
for about half an hour.
Take 1/3 of the dough, leaving the rest
covered.

Roll out into a circle on a floured surface.
Flip dough over and
roll it out until it is 1/8 inch thick.
Cut into 3-inch rounds.

Place a tablespoon of filling on one side of the round, flip
over the other half and press edges together to seal.
Place the
dumpling on a floured tray and keep covered.

In a 3-quart saucepan, drop 10 or so dumplings into boiling
water.
Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
Drain in a colander.
Place on a
lightly oiled dish to coat with a thin layer of oil.
Coat dumplings
so they don’t stick together.

Serve Dumplings with fried onions and sour cream.
Cold dumplings
can be fried in oil and butter for a nice crispy surface.

Mother’s Potato and Cheese Filling
6 medium-size potatoes
2 large onions, chopped fine
1 stick butter (1/4 pound)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese or dry
bryndzia (sheep’s milk cheese)
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons pepper, or to taste

Peel and dice potatoes, cover with water, and boil until soft.
Drain.
Saute the onions in butter.
Add the cheese, onions, salt and
pepper to the potatoes and mash together, mix well.
Allow to cool,
stirring occasionally.
Once cooled, it is ready to use as dumpling
filling.

Sauerkraut and Cabbage Filling
1 pound sauerkraut
2 large onions, chopped fine
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3 cups shredded white cabbage
1 bouillon cube
2 teaspoons pepper

Pour off the sauerkraut juice and set aside.
Use homemade
sauerkraut or bottled.

Saute the onions in butter and add to the sauerkraut.
Add the
cabbage, bouillon, and reserved juice.
Stirring often, cook over
low heat until liquid evaporates.
Add the pepper.

Remove from heat and let cool.
Run the mixture through a meat
grinder or food processor.
The filling is then ready to use in the dumplings.