Mazurek (cake)


Mazurek is a sweet, flat cake traditional in Poland, typicially consisting of short pastry with a layer of icing, jelly or chocolate and decorated with nuts, candied fruits or pastry shapes.
In common with simnel cake, it is closely associated with Easter and eaten after the Christian festival of Lent. The exact origin of its recipe is unclear, but may have come into the country from Turkey some time in the 17th century.

Preparation and variations

Typical mazurek can be made of one or two sheets of short pastry. The two sheets are fixed together with a help of a layer of marmalade, or as one sheet of short pastry covered with butter sponge cake. In the case of the one-sheet version, marmalade is skipped or goes on top, under a layer of icing..
The top of the mazurek is covered with a layer of nut-based or plain icing or jelly, and candied fruits. Traditionally, home-baked mazurek cakes are often decorated with dried fruits and nuts and can include borders made of rolled half-short pastry. Sometimes the shortcrust base is crowned with a lattice made of half-short or macaroon pastry. Decorative patterns may include Easter symbols like eggs, hares, pussy willows and Easter greetings.
Another version, "gypsy mazurek" consiss of a sheet of half-short pastry is half-baked, covered with a layer made of dried fruit, almonds, egg yolks creamed with sugar and whipped egg white and baked again.
The "nutty Easter shortcake" was entered onto the list of Polish traditional bakery and confectionery products for the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on 3 November 2011, and described as having the shortcrust base prepared from ground walnuts, flour, sugar, margarine, a small number of eggs and a little bit of sour cream. The frosting being of walnut cream or, according to Polish Food magazine published by MRiRW, icing made of sugar, water and milk powder melted together. A thick layer of icing is spread over the baked cake which is finally decorated with dried fruit, almonds and walnuts made into a pattern. "Nutty mazurek" is supposed to be considerably flat, rectangular, by in size, very sweet with a distinct aroma of walnuts, golden or golden-brown in colour.

Name and origin

The cake's name may have its origins in the Masovians tribe inhabiting the Mazovia region of central Poland. Another theory says it might originate from the word mazurek, traditional folk dance in triple metre from Poland. A shortcrust pastry, Mazurek is considered one of the primary desserts of Easter across Poland.
Although considered uniquely Polish, almost a seasonal national dessert, the recipe for Mazurek came to Poland most likely from the East, via the spice trade-route from Turkey in the early 17th century.

Appearance and symbolism

The symbolism of mazurek is closely associated with the period of Wielki Post, marking the successful completion of the festival. After a 40-day fast, celebrated in Christian liturgy in memory of the Temptation of Christ, mazurek was supposed to be the rich reward for adherence to faith and tradition. What distinguishes it from other festive dessert cakes is the abundance of decoration with dried fruit and nuts, its overall sweetness, and chocolate icing, contributing to its prolonged freshness. Although today, the religious meaning of mazurek is virtually lost in Poland, the cake is closely associated with seasonal celebrations nevertheless.
News portal Wirtualna Polska insisted that mazurek must not resemble any other regular cake, and that very traditionally "there should be 12 mazurek cakes at Easter, each with a different flavour", served side by side. At Christmas, this emphasis on the number twelve symbolises the Twelve Apostles at the Last Supper, celebrated by Catholics with twelve different food offerings.