Medovik (Russian Honey Cake) Russia #108

on

Medovik (Russian Honey Cake)-Russia #108

This cake takes a lot of time, bowls and pans! Make sure to start early in a day when you have no other plans. The cake consist of lightly spiced cake layers (12) and glossy whipped cream frosting, both tinged with burned honey. You can buy dulce de leche at most markets.  However, you can make a day ahead using this recipe. I was unable to buy dulce de leche or sweetened condensed milk due to not being able to leave our home, safe at home order. So, I made my own using milk, sugar, baking soda and vanilla extract. (Recipe is at the bottom of page.)
FYI: I made 1/2 the recipe. It worked out just fine. The only difference was there were 6 layers instead of 11-12.

Cake:

  • 1-1/2 c. wildflower honey, divided
  • 1/4 c. water
  • 1 c plus 2 T. sugar
  • 14 T. butter, cut into 1/2" pieces
  • 6 eggs
  • 2-1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2-1/2 tsp. Kosher salt 
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 3-3/4 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/4 c. dulce de leche
  • 4-3/4 c. heavy cream, chilled and divided
  1. Cake:  Preheat oven 375F. Trace circles around a 9" cake pan onto 12 baking sheet size pieces of parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Make a water bath: Fill a small saucepan with 1" of water, and set over medium heat.  
  3. Place 3/4 c. of honey in a 2 qt. saucepan, and set over high heat.  Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium.  After about 3 mins., the honey will begin to foam intensely.  Stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, keep a close eye on the honey.  Cook until it begins to smoke, then turn off the heat and carefully add water.  Allow the honey to sputter until it stops bubbling.  Whisk to combine, and pour into a heatproof measuring cup with a spout, then place in prepared water bath to keep honey liquid.
  4. Fill a medium saucepan with 2 " of water, and bring to a simmer.  Combine 1/4 c. burned honey, 3/4 c. honey, sugar and butter in a large metal mixing bowl, and place over the pot of water.
  5. Crack eggs into a small bowl, and set aside.
  6. Stir together baking soda, 1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt or 3/4 tsp. sea salt and cinnamon in a separate small bowl.
  7. When the butter has melted, whisk the honey mixture to combine. Use your finger to test the temperature of the mixture.  When it's warm, add the eggs while whisking.  when the mixture returns to the same temperature, add the cinnamon mixture, and continue whisking for another 30 seconds.  The batter will begin to foam and emit a curious odor.  Remove the bowl from the heat, and allow it to cool until it's warm.
  8. Place the flour in a fine-mesh sieve, and sift over the batter in three batches, whisking to incorporate the flour completely with each addition. The batter should be completely smooth.  the batter will spread more easily when it's warm, so pour half into a small bow, and cover with plastic wrap.  Place in a warm spot, such as atop the preheating oven.
  9. Place a piece of parchment tracing-side-down on a baking sheet, and spoon in a heaping 1/3 c. of batter.  Use an offset spatula to evenly spread the batter to the edges.  It will seem like just barely enough batter; do your best to get the layer even and perfectly circular.  Repeat with remaining layers until you're out of pans, and then continue with remaining batter and parchment sheets, laying batter circles out on a flat surface.  You'll end up with 11 or 12.
  10. Bake as many layers at a time as possible, for 6-7 mins., until the cake turns a deep caramel color and springs back at the touch.  For the first round, set the timer for 4 mins. to rotate pans if needed to ensure even cooking.  Check the cakes again at 6 mins. Do not over bake!
  11. When each layer is done, slide the parchment off the pan to prevent over baking.  If reusing baking sheets while they are still hot, reduce cooking time to 5-6 mins.
  12. When the cake layers are cool enough to handle, examine them. If any spread outside the traced circles as they baked, use a sharp knife or pair of scissors to trim them.  Before the cakes cool entirely, pull each one carefully from the parchment, then place back on the parchment on a flat surface. and allow to cool completely.
  13. When all the layers are baked, reduce the oven temperature to 250F, and all the cake to cool for 30 mins.  Return the least attractive layer to a baking sheet, and place in the oven to toast until deep reddish brown and dry, about 15 mins.  Allow to cool, then use a food processor to grind into fine crumbs.  Cover and set aside.
  14. Place 1/2 c. burned honey, dulce de leche and 1 tsp. Kosher salt into a medium bowl.  Whisk by hand until combined, then slowly pour in 3/4 c. cream and mix until combined.  Chill until completely cooled, about 30 mins.
  15. Pour 4 c. heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer, and affix whisk attachment.  Whisk at medium speed to soft peaks, about 6 mins., then add honey mixture and whisk frosting to medium stiff peaks.  If your mixer holds less than 5 qts. make frosting in 2 batches and then combine in a large bowl, or use a large bowl and a hand mixer.
  16. Assemble the cake on a 10" cardboard circle or flat serving plate.  Place a cake layer in the center of the cardboard, then spoon a heaping cup of frosting onto the center.  Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly, leaving a 1/4" ring unfrosted around the edge.  Place the next layer atop the frosting, center it and continue as above.  Don't be afraid to manhandle the cake to align the layers as you continue stacking.  If  necessary, make up for any doming in the center by spreading more frosting to the outer half of each layer than the inner half.  After you place the 10th layer, spread another scant cup of frosting over the top.  Use any leftover frosting to smooth out the sides of the cake, but don't fret if the edges of some cake layers poke through the frosting.  Sprinkle the top and sides with cake crumbs.
  17. Chill overnight.  Serve chilled.

Results: Very good. However, be prepared, this cake takes at least 4-5 hours, or more to make, especially if you make dulce de leche from scratch, and add an extra day if you make it from condensed milk. I didn't have dulce de leche, which you can buy at the store, or condensed milk. I made it from it from scratch.  It's not difficult, just time consuming and requires another saucepan and bowl. Speaking of, this cake required 3 saucepans, 6 bowls and 2 adults. Yes, my dear sweet husband helped.

Being conscious of how difficult it is to acquire some ingredients, I made 1/2 the recipe. It worked out just fine. I ended up with 6 layers instead of 11-12. Also, I had extra ground nut mixture which I sprinkled generously over the top. 

Bottom Line: Even though this was very good, it is just too much work.

Please share this blog with family, friends and our Russian friends who are struggling with Covid-19 as we are.

Homemade Dulce de Leche:

Ingredients:
  • 4 c. whole milk
  • 1-1/4 c. sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  1. Stir together 4 c. milk, 1-1/4 c. sugar, and 1/4 tsp. baking soda in a 3-4 qt. heavy saucepan.   
  2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and thickened, about 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours.
  3. After about an hour, stir more often as milk caramelizes, to avoid burning.
  4. Stir in vanilla.
  5. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
  6. Makes about 1-1/2 cups.

Comments

Post a Comment