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Mutaki
Mütəki: Baku crescent pastries rolled around walnuts and sugar
AzerbaijaniMutaki, named after the long bolster cushions of Azerbaijani homes, are small rolled crescents of tender yeast or sour-cream pastry filled with walnuts and sugar, baked pale gold and dusted with icing sugar. Baku families make them for Novruz, weddings and visits, and pile them on a plate with tea from a pear-shaped glass. A common mistake is baking them until brown, which dries the delicate pastry. Chef's tip: roll the dough thin and wide, spread the filling only on the wide end of each wedge and roll toward the point, so the nuts stay in the middle.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 12 ½ oz plain flour
- 5 ½ oz cold butterdiced
- 5 ½ oz sour cream
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
For the filling
- 5 ½ oz walnutsfinely chopped
- 2 ⅞ oz caster sugar
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 egg whitelightly beaten
To finish
- 3 tbsp icing sugar
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rub 5 ½ oz cold butter into 12 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 1 pinch salt until like breadcrumbs. Add 5 ½ oz sour cream and 1 egg yolk and bring together into a soft dough. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Mix 5 ½ oz walnuts, 2 ⅞ oz caster sugar, ½ tsp ground cardamom and half of ½ egg white.
Step 3: Heat the oven to 350°F (fan 325°F). Line two trays.
Step 4: Divide the dough into 3. Roll each piece into a 28 cm circle and cut into 8 wedges.
Step 5: Put a teaspoon of filling on the wide end of each wedge and roll up toward the point. Curve slightly. Brush with the rest of ½ egg white.
Step 6: Bake for 18–22 minutes, until pale golden underneath. Common mistake: baking until brown; they dry out.
22 minStep 7: Cool and dust with 3 tbsp icing sugar.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 160 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mutaki take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 50 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of cold butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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