This is a traditional Easter treat for after Passover, but I think it's good enough to enjoy at any time..
Using two variations I've seen for a starting point and making a few alterations here and there to bring my own touch to them, I came up with these two beauties..
Gluten-Free and delicious these traditional "Good Saturday" treats are known as Mazurek, Mazurka and Mazurek Krolewski as well as many other names..
For today though I've prepared these two; a "Royal Polish Mazurek" with apricot & four fruit preserves, followed by a "Chocolate Mazurka" with a mix of nuts, seeds and cranberries decorating the top in a slightly flowering motif..
Definitely looking almost to pretty to eat when finished..
More like giant cookies, then cakes or pies, these two tarts definitely won't disappoint you or your guests wether you serve them for the holiday as traditional or any time of year..
Pretty, gluten free and oh so "Definitely Delish"
"Royal Mazurek with Preserves"
Ingredients:
8 ounces room-temperature butter
4 tablespoons sugar
2 ounces (6 tablespoons) ground blanched almonds
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 1/2 cups gluten free flour
2 large hard-boiled egg yolks, sieved
1 large raw egg yolk
Pinch fine sea salt
Pinch cinnamon
6 ounces apricot preserves
6 ounces seedless red raspberry preserves
Confectioners' sugar
Directions:
1. Cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
2. By hand, stir in almonds, zest, gluten free flour, making sure to measure flour correctly, and 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..
3. Place dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes..
4. Heat oven to 375 degrees. 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 the dough with the tines of a fork. Using pastry brush, egg wash (1 beaten egg with 1 teaspoon water) dough..
5. Roll remaining 1/3 dough and cut into 1/4-inch strips. Arrange strips lattice-style over dough.(Gluten free can be tough to work with for this, take your time and don't worry if it cracks, you can fix some on the sheet pan after moving them) Brush lattice strips with egg wash. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until light golden brown and crisp..
6. 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..
Note: This can be a difficult dough to work with for some, but it is a traditional recipe. This pastry dough is not meant to be like pie dough. It is delicate and takes a little coaxing, but the flavor is definitely worth it..
"Mazurek with Chocolate Ganache"
Ingredients:
8 ounces of butter at room temperature
1/4 cups sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups ground almonds
1 cup gluten free flour mix
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate pieces
Any kind of seed, nuts or sweets to decorate the top.
Directions:
1. Cream the butter and sugar at medium speed on a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until it becomes light in color and fluffy. Add the egg, salt and vanilla extract while mixing for another 2 minutes..
2. Incorporate almond and gluten free flour, mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Clean the walls of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then mix well at medium speed until well combined. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest on the fridge for 30 minutes..
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a baking dish by lightly buttering it, covering with parchment paper and buttering again on the paper. Put the dough in the prepared pan. The dough will be malleable enough for you to be able to use your hands to make the dough cover the bottom of the pan and make a rim of dough about one inch tall. Using a fork pierce the bottom part of the dough in many places. Bake for 30 minutes. When the crust is nice and golden it's done. Place the crust on a rack to cool completely before handling..
4. Place the heavy cream and sugar together on a saucepan. Swirl the mixture around while cooking at medium heat until the sugar melts. Add the chocolate, turn off the heat and stir constantly with a spoon to melt the chocolate with the remaining heat. Pour the chocolate mixture on the cooled crust and spread it out evenly..
5. Let the chocolate set for about 30 minutes, then decorate the top with your selection of nuts and/or sweets. I attempted a pretty pattern but that's entirely up to you..
