Julfa cake, like in Sochi, at Mrs. Crina

In an instant, one can touch everything that is closest to Divinity through the purity of actions,
the joy of the soul, and especially through this purely Romanian tradition of gathering all the
loved ones at the table. Festive and with a clear festive spirit, today in Soci, we are invited to
taste a traditional dessert accompanied by carol melodies that announce the Birth of our
Savior. The dessert, as you may have guessed, is Julfa cake, also known by its popular and
ancestral name, Pelincile Domnului.

In a well-organized household, guarded by an incredibly curious cat and a dog with always
perked-up ears but extremely friendly, we are invited to step into the home of Crina and
Cristinel – our hosts. We have the pleasure of enjoying a recipe that carries the weight of all the
culinary expertise and is, in practice, a masterpiece of Moldovan cuisine.

At least a day before, Carmen prepared the flatbreads using only flour, lukewarm water, and a
pinch of salt. The dough is the foundation of the flatbreads and is prepared by mixing the
mentioned ingredients. The flatbreads are made from thin sheets of dough, like a noblewoman's
handkerchief, and then baked on a griddle. They are left individually to cool overnight and for a
day.

The filling is half legend, half talent, and as much delight as you can imagine! From a kilogram of
hemp seeds, crushed in a mortar and boiled in 3 liters of water, a fine foam with a distinct
vegetal taste is obtained. The foam is collected in a bowl and, as if by magic, it coagulates into a
fine cream that will be mixed with honey or sugar to taste. On the most elegant platter in the
house, layers alternate between a thin flatbread and a few spoonfuls of syrupy filling until the
last layer sits proudly on top of the sweet cream.

The dessert is chilled overnight and left to allow the flavors and the "moisture" from the cream
to meld. Its perfect to savor alongside carolers who herald, by excellence, the first event in the
history of salvation that brings one of the greatest joys to the soul – the Birth of Christ. May joy
be the light that watches over your Christmas!

Ingredients:

Dough:
– 500 gr wheat flour
– a pinch of salt
– lukewarm water

Filling:

– 1 kg roasted and crushed hemp seeds
– 3 liters of boiling water
– honey or sugar, to taste
– rum/vanilla essence, to taste

Instructions:

1. Prepare the flatbreads a day in advance using only flour, lukewarm water, and a pinch of salt.
The dough is the basis for the flatbreads and is prepared by mixing the ingredients until they are
homogeneous. The flatbreads, no matter how thin, are baked on a griddle. Leave them
individually to cool overnight and for a day.
2. Prepare the filling by boiling 1 kilogram of hemp seeds in 3 liters of water. This will result in a
fine foam with a distinct vegetal taste.
3. Collect the foam in a bowl and, as if by magic, it coagulates into a fine cream that will be
mixed with honey or sugar to taste.
4. On the most elegant platter in the house, alternate layers between a thin flatbread and a few
spoonfuls of syrupy filling. The final layer should always be adorned with the sweet cream.
5. Chill the dessert overnight and let the flavors and the "moisture" from the cream meld
together. Enjoy!