Vintage cakes are making a comeback! This time we will use the best of Russian prianik to make a honey cake.
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Prianik , the Russian version of gingerbread, is a brown-colored confection intricately decorated with pretty swirls and adorned with letters and words . In ancient Russia, pryaniks were called “honey breads”. They were associated with celebrations – these cookies decorated with honey or heated sugar were considered a prestigious gift. I was surprised to discover that centuries ago it was believed that the pryanik helped purify the heart and soul if placed on the chest. Even today, this delicacy is revered in all families, especially children.
Can you imagine a combination between the famous pryanik and something as delicious as a cake? That’s exactly what we’re going to do today – a homemade prianiki box : honey, soft and melting!
In winter, people would treat themselves to gingerbread boxes full of pryaniks inside (like a gingerbread house with a lid instead of a roof). I was surprised to find a cake of the same name on the Internet that can be baked at any time of the year. This is the recipe I want to share with you.
It’s easier to start the process with the cream because it will take time to cool and harden. Our cake will have two types of cream – a pastry cream and a chocolate cream.
1.For the chocolate cream, measure out 250ml of cream and put the rest of the cream in the fridge so that when cooled it easily turns into whipped cream.
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- Gently melt the chocolate, warm the cream over high heat, but without boiling. Pour over the chocolate and stir well so that the chocolate is completely incorporated, then put it in the fridge for 3-4 hours.
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- For the pastry cream base, mix the flour and about half the amount of sugar (60 g); then beat with cold milk until the mass resembles thick pancake batter. Try not to leave large lumps in the batter.
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- Lightly beat the eggs with the remaining sugar and mix everything with the flour mixture.
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- Pour the rest of the milk into a saucepan, add vanilla sugar and bring to a near boil. Gently pour the hot milk into the flour and egg mass, stir and return to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Once the cream begins to boil, keep stirring and cook for another minute, then turn off the heat and add the butter.
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- Pour the cream into a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let it cool completely.
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Pastry sponges
- Melt the butter, heat the milk almost to a boil and mix the cocoa with the hot milk.
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- Gently heat the honey until it is hot, but do not boil it. Add baking soda and stir. You will get a delicate and tasty honey mousse.
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- Lightly beat the egg with the sugar, then stir in the melted butter, honey mousse, cocoa and milk. Gradually add the flour and mix until you get a slightly sticky and soft dough, but which keeps its shape.
