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Tula pryanik
Tulsky pryanik (тульский пряник): flat stamped honey-spice cake filled with plum jam and glazed
Tula, a few hours south of Moscow, has pressed these slabs in carved wooden boards since the seventeenth century, and a pryanik stamped with the town's crest or a samovar is still the souvenir every visitor carries home. It is made from a cooked dough: honey, sugar and butter are warmed with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and clove, then flour is beaten in, giving a dense, soft and fragrant cake. A layer of thick plum jam runs through the middle and a thin sugar glaze sets white and crisp on top. Cut it into fingers and serve with black tea. The usual slip is a runny jam that leaks from the seams, so use a stiff jam or cook it down first. Chef's tip: wrap the glazed cake and leave it overnight; it softens and the spice deepens, which is why Tula bakers never sell it warm.
- Total time
- 85 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the dough
- 5 ½ oz runny honey
- 3 ½ oz caster sugar
- 2 ⅛ oz unsalted butter
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 16 oz plain flour
For the filling and glaze
- 4 oz icing sugar
- 3 tbsp hot water
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Put the 5 ½ oz runny honey, 3 ½ oz caster sugar and 2 ⅛ oz unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir for about 6 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hand-hot (about 158°F).
6 minStep 2: Take the bowl off the heat and whisk in the 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground cardamom, ½ tsp ground ginger and ¼ tsp ground cloves. Cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the 2 eggs one at a time.
6 minStep 3: Sift the 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda with most of the 14 ½ oz plain flour and beat it into the honey mixture to make a soft, sticky dough. Knead briefly on a floured surface until smooth and no longer sticky, then wrap and rest for 20 minutes.
25 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan). Halve the dough and roll each half on baking paper, dusted with the remaining 1 ⅝ oz plain flour, into a 22 × 18 cm rectangle about 7 mm thick.
10 minStep 5: Spread the 9 oz thick plum jam (povidlo) over one rectangle, leaving a 1.5 cm border. Lay the second on top, press the edges firmly together and crimp them. Mark a pattern on top with a knife and prick it a few times with a fork.
8 minStep 6: Slide the cake on its paper onto a tray and bake for 18–20 minutes, until puffed, light brown and springy when pressed.
20 minStep 7: Whisk the 4 oz icing sugar with the 3 tbsp hot water until it coats a spoon. Brush it over the hot cake in two coats; it dries white and matte within about 15 minutes.
15 minStep 8: Cool completely, wrap well and leave overnight before cutting into fingers.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 55 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tula pryanik take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of runny honey?
- Maple syrup or golden syrup, same amount.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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