MEDOVIK / RUSSIAN HONEY CAKE

This month International Food Challenge drives us to Russia, world's largest country. Our host, Sara challenged us with 3 Russian authentic recipes and i choose Russian honey cake. Russian cuisine is a collection of the different cooking traditions of the Russian people. The cuisine is diverse like it's area.

Medovik or honey cake is one of the most popular cakes in Russia. Each layer  is soaked with creamy caramel filling and covered with crushed biscuits. There are many variations of this cake. This version is honey with dulce de leche. My family loved it a lot. Thanks sara for this wonderful recipe.
Recipe adapted from : Cooking Melangery

Ingredients :

For layers :

1. Flour - 5 cup
2. Sugar - 1 cup
3. Egg - 3
4. Butter - 100 g
5. Honey - 2 tbsp
6. Baking soda - 1 1/2 tsp

For cream :

1. Milk - 2 cup
2. Eggs - 3
3. Cornflour - 2 tbsp
4. Dulce de leche - 1 tin / 400 g
5. Honey - 1 tbsp
6. Butter - 100 g

Method :

1. Whisk together the eggs and keep aside.

2. In a saucepan bring some water to a simmer. Place the sugar, butter and honey in a heatproof bowl and set over the simmering water. When it melts, add the eggs, and mix until pale in colour. Add baking soda and cook for one minute.

3. Transfer the egg butter mixture into a mixer or food processor and add flour. Mix on low speed until combined. It should be very soft. Do not put more flour.

4. Sprinkle some flour on your working surface and place the dough. Knead it few times and form into a ball.

5. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape each piece into ball. Cover with a kitchen towel.

6. Take one piece and roll into a thin circle.

7. Use the bottom of a round pan to cut around it with a knife. Save all scarps just the way you cut them and place them on a baking sheet and then bake.

8. Bake it for 3- 5 minutes. Repeat for the remaining 7 balls.

9. Finally crush the saved scrapes into crumbs.

Method for cream :

1. In a large saucepan, heat 1 1/2 cups of milk, but don't boil.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup milk with egg and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly whisk the egg mixture into the warm milk, bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Whisking constantly very thick. Remove and cool.

3. Whisk in the butter and dulce de leche.

Assemble the cake :

1. Top each cake layer with 1/2 cup of cream and spread it around evenly. Repeat with all the cake layers. Spread the cream evenly over the top and sides of the cake.

2. Sprinkle the crushed cake scrapes over the sides and top of the cake. Refrigerate for 8 - 10  hours.