Mazurek is a sweet, flat cake traditional in Poland, typicially consisting of short pastry with a layer of icing, jelly or chocolate and decorated with nuts, candied fruits or pastry shapes.
In common with simnel cake, it is closely associated with Easter and eaten after the Christian festival of Lent. While it is considered one of the primary desserts for that festival across Poland, it is also eaten at Christmas. The exact origin of its recipe is unclear, but may have come into the country from Turkey some time in the 17th century.
Preparation and variations
Typical mazurek can be made of one or two sheets of short (or half-short) pastry. The two sheets are fixed together with a help of a layer of marmalade, or as one sheet of short (or half-short) pastry covered with butter sponge cake. In the case of the one-sheet version, marmalade is skipped or goes on top, under a layer of icing.[2][3].
The top of the mazurek is covered with a layer of nut-based or plain icing (i.e. sugar icing or kajmak) or jelly, and candied fruits.[2] Traditionally, home-baked mazurek cakes are often decorated with dried fruits and nuts and can include borders made of rolled half-short pastry. Sometimes the shortcrust base is crowned with a lattice made of half-short or macaroon pastry. Decorative patterns may include Easter symbols like eggs,[4]hares, pussy willows and Easter greetings.[3]
Another version, "gypsy mazurek" (mazurek cygański) consiss of a sheet of half-short pastry is half-baked, covered with a layer made of dried fruit, almonds, egg yolks creamed with sugar and whipped egg white and baked again.[2]
The "nutty Easter shortcake"[1] (pol. mazurek orzechowy) was entered onto the list of Polish traditional bakery and confectionery products for the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MRiRW) on 3 November 2011, and described[5] as having the shortcrust (half-short) base prepared from ground walnuts, flour, sugar, margarine, a small number of eggs and a little bit of sour cream.[1] The frosting being of walnut cream[5] or, according to Polish Food magazine published by MRiRW, icing made of sugar, water and milk powder melted together[1]. A thick layer of icing is spread over the baked cake which is finally decorated with dried fruit (raisins), almonds and walnuts made into a pattern.[5][1] "Nutty mazurek" is supposed to be considerably flat, rectangular, 20 centimetres (7.9in) by 40 centimetres (16in) in size, very sweet with a distinct aroma of walnuts, golden or golden-brown in colour[5].
Name and origin
Mazurek Bunny cake
The cake's name may have its origins in the Masovians (old Mazurzy) tribe inhabiting the Mazovia region of central Poland.[6] Another theory says it might originate from the word mazurek (Polish for mazurka), traditional folk dance in triple metre from Poland. A shortcrust pastry, Mazurek is considered one of the primary desserts of Easter across Poland.
Although considered uniquely Polish, almost a seasonal national dessert,[7] the recipe for Mazurek came to Poland most likely from the East, via the spice trade-route from Turkey[6] in the early 17th century.
Appearance and symbolism
Mazurek decorated for EasterA selection of Mazurek cakes ready for Easter in Poland
The symbolism of mazurek is closely associated with the period of Wielki Post (Polish for Lent), marking the successful completion of the festival. After a 40-day fast (although not a total abstinence from food), celebrated in Christian liturgy in memory of the Temptation of Christ, mazurek was supposed to be the rich reward for adherence to faith and tradition. What distinguishes it from other festive dessert cakes is the abundance of decoration with dried fruit and nuts,[6] its overall sweetness, and chocolate icing, contributing to its prolonged freshness. Although today, the religious meaning of mazurek is virtually lost in Poland, the cake is closely associated with seasonal celebrations nevertheless.[7]
News portal Wirtualna Polska insisted that mazurek must not resemble any other regular cake, and that very traditionally "there should be 12 mazurek cakes at Easter, each with a different flavour",[8] served side by side.[1][2] At Christmas, this emphasis on the number twelve symbolises the Twelve Apostles at the Last Supper,[9] celebrated by Catholics with twelve different food offerings.[10]
1234Konarzewska, Małgorzata (2011). "3.14. Mazurki". Technologia gastronomiczna z towaroznawstwem: podręcznik do nauki zawodu kucharz w technikum i szkole policealnej. Tom 2 (in Polish). Warsaw: Wydawnictwa Szkolne i Pedagogiczne. pp.144–146.
12Patryk A. Nachaczewski (2007). "Babki i mazurki". Interview with Maciej Gadziński. Przewodnik Katolicki. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013– via Internet Archive.
12Contributing writer (3 April 2011). "Co wiesz o wielkanocnym mazurku?". Serwisy zdrowotne Edipresse Polska S.A. Wiesz Jak.pl Zdrowie. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
↑Staff writer (3 April 2006). "Mazurki wielkanocne". Kobieta.wp.pl, kulinaria (in Polish). Wirtualna Polska. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013. (Translation: If the tradition is to be followed, there should be 12 mazurek cakes at Easter, each with different flavour.) Aby tradycji stało się zadość, na wielkanocnym stole powinno być ich 12, a każdy o innym smaku.
The Polish edition of Newsweek magazine offered a gallery of ideas about how to decorate mazurek with slivered almonds and sliced dates including chocolate-written greetings. "Mazurek na wielkanocnym stole". Galerie. Newsweek.pl. 19 April 2011. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
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