Pies and cakes

Childhood Memories: Nuts from “Pofta de dulce” in Războieni

Recipe collected from
Războieni

No one can quite decipher why the proximity of flavors from childhood evokes such a heartwarming sensation. Scientists have tried, learned individuals have pondered, ordinary people and brilliant minds alike have strived to understand why we always fondly remember that specific “goodness” – the goodness of our childhood, the “goodness” we then seek in every complementary taste. And when you mention childhood, you automatically think of sweet cravings because sweetness, as a taste, defines the period when we discover the delight in all its forms and flavors.

 

So, to take an imaginative journey back in time when sweet treats were crafted from the most authentic tastes, we visited Războieni, to meet Andreea and Gabriela, two ladies who, due to their passion for sweets, can transport you back to your childhood. With a riddle, we engage our minds to find the clues that lead us to the first dessert prepared by the ladies: “Four twin brothers born, all swaddled and raised, whenever you see them together, dressed in a fur coat. Yes! Today we make sweet nuts. Nuts and honeycomb.”

 

For the nuts, you’ll need 1 kilogram of flour, 30 grams of cocoa, a pinch of salt, 2 kilograms of butter, 600 grams of toasted and ground walnuts, and 600 grams of powdered sugar to make a dense dough. You can knead it by hand or use the kitchen’s automatic mixing tools. The cream is made meticulously from 1 kilogram of salted caramel, 350 grams of ground walnuts, and 250 grams of “barot,” which means the remnants collected from the form where the walnuts were roasted, providing stability and an extra texture to the cream. The union of the crispy shells with the cream happens like a sweet kiss from a mother to her child. It’s best to let the nuts sit and infuse their flavor overnight for an incredible taste.

 

The process for the honeycombs is quite similar. The dough, which resembles a thicker pancake batter, is made from 6 large eggs, 90 ml of oil, 180 grams of sugar, 150 ml of milk, 330 grams of flour, 10 grams of baking powder, a pinch of salt, and vanilla essence. The batter is homogenized and baked in a special honeycomb-shaped mold, heated on the stovetop. Only a few seconds are needed for the dough to turn crispy. The cream that fills the honeycombs is prepared by gently heating 1 liter of milk, 8 tablespoons of flour, 8 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of cocoa, 200 grams of room-temperature butter, 150 grams of ground walnuts, and rum essence.

 

The honeycombs are joined together with the magical cream, and it’s preferable to let them meld well to achieve an unparalleled flavor. We had our childhood with us for a few minutes, during which we enjoyed the delicious creations made by the skilled ladies from “Pofta de dulce” (Craving for sweets). Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for this sweet surprise!

 

Ingredients for Nuts:

 

Dough

– 1 kilogram of flour

– 30 grams of cocoa

– A pinch of salt

– 2 kilograms of butter

– 600 grams of toasted and ground walnuts

 

Cream

– 1 kilogram of salted caramel

– 350 grams of ground walnuts

– 250 grams of “barot”

 

Instructions:

 

  1. Mix 1 kilogram of flour, 30 grams of cocoa, a pinch of salt, 2 kilograms of butter, 600 grams of toasted and ground walnuts, and 600 grams of powdered sugar to make a dense dough. You can knead it by hand or use the kitchen’s automatic mixing tools.

 

  1. For the cream, prepare 1 kilogram of salted caramel, 350 grams of ground walnuts, and 250 grams of “barot.” Mix them together to make the cream.

 

  1. Carefully unite the crispy shells with the cream, and it’s best to let the nuts sit overnight to infuse their flavor.

 

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