Here we'll tell you how to make Krakow cake, a popular and beloved childhood favorite. It's nice that the recipe for making it is quite simple.

Back in Soviet times, the selection of sweets was limited, although they were all favorite treats for both adults and children. Fifteen to twenty years ago, there weren't numerous coffee shops and pastry shops with beautiful, mouth-watering pastries, with all sorts of muffins, profiteroles, and cupcakes. But the tastes were different back then, and nostalgia for those days periodically creeps in, yearning to relive the flavors of childhood.

Many people remember pastries like "potato," "meringue," "basket," "bouche," "eclair," and cupcakes... And they all came in different varieties: sponge, curd, shortbread, choux, and even intermediate versions, depending on the dough or base. We still remember their taste, and the recipe for each one mostly includes the simplest ingredients, which simplifies the entire process. You just need flour, sugar, egg yolks and whites, baking soda, and butter—that's the base. Then, depending on the pastry, the recipe might include sour cream, nuts, jam, lemon, or vanilla. The famous "potato" pastry is made with cookies or breadcrumbs, and it's no-bake—you just mix the ingredients, roll them into balls, and refrigerate. "Sweet sausage" is also made with cookies and hardens in the refrigerator. Moreover, they can be stored in the freezer for a long time, and if needed, you can simply take them out and slice them for tea, which is very convenient. And some cakes are simply decorated with cream or icing. For example, "bouches," "eclairs," and "baskets."

What ingredients need to be prepared?

Krakowskie cake

The recipe for Krakow pastry calls for two types of dough: shortcrust pastry and almond pastry. You should end up with two even layers.

For shortcrust pastry we need the following products:

  • Sugar - 65 g;
  • Flour - 165 g;
  • 100 g butter;
  • 1 yolk;
  • Baking powder - half a teaspoon.

For the almond dough you will need:

  • 3 egg whites;
  • Sugar - 220 g;
  • Flour - 60 g;
  • Roasted almonds - 120 g.

Recipe for Krakow cake

The process of making Krakow cake

First, take the room-temperature butter and soften it. Add one egg yolk and sugar. Beat everything together. Then add the baking powder to the flour and mix it with the resulting butter mixture. Roll the dough into a ball and set it aside for 5-7 minutes.

Take a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Roll the dough out onto the parchment paper into a 20 x 25 cm rectangle and place it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Bake for another 15 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius.

While the shortcrust pastry is baking, prepare the base for the next layer. First, dry the nuts in the oven and grind them. Then, separate the whites from the yolks and beat until stiff peaks form. Mix with sugar and the pre-ground nuts. Transfer the egg white mixture to a saucepan and heat over medium heat to 60-70 degrees Celsius. Stir constantly. You want the sugar to dissolve and the mixture to become viscous. Heat for about 12-15 minutes. Then, add the flour to the heated egg whites and mix thoroughly.

Place the resulting mixture on the prepared sand base and smooth it out. Leave it to dry for 1 hour.

Wait until the meringue layer is dry, then cut the cake into 10 rectangular pieces, slightly spaced apart. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius. The cakes should be approximately 2 cm thick. If you prefer a drier cake, you can bake them a little longer. You can adjust the recipe according to your preferences.

Done! Enjoy your meal!

Nuances of preparation

  • Everyone can adjust the recipe to suit their taste. Some add baking soda to the dough, first dissolving it with a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar. And for more flavor, you can add lemon zest or a pinch of vanilla.
  • Also, to help the dough bake better, you can make holes with a fork all over the surface.
  • Before rolling out the dough on a baking sheet, some housewives place it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

We hope you enjoyed this recipe and will delight your loved ones with delicious baked goods!

Video recipe for Krakow cake