Shëndetlie — an Albanian honey and walnut cake, baked dense and dark, then soaked in hot sugar syrup until moist and sticky. Rich, nutty and wonderfully sweet.
- 3 Eggs
- 180g Melted Butter
- 700g Flour
- 100g Walnuts
- 4 tablespoons Honey
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 220g Sugar
- 450ml Water
Video
Preparation
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the eggs, sugar and cooled melted butter, then add the honey and soda.
- Add half the flour and the walnuts (whole or ground) and mix well.
- Add the rest of the flour and knead by hand until a firm dough forms.
- Coat a large baking tray (traditionally a circular one, about 30cm with a 2–3 inch height) with olive oil. Add the dough and press it down to fill the whole tray, getting it flat and even all over.
- Place on the bottom shelf of a cold oven and turn the temperature up to 180°C. Bake for 35 minutes, until the dough has turned dark brown and is firm to the touch.
- Remove and leave to cool while you make the syrup.
- Add the sugar and water to a saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil for 10 minutes, mixing occasionally, then remove from the heat.
- Cut the shëndetlie into squares or diamond shapes and pour over the hot syrup, using enough to cover the cake plus about 1cm sitting on top. Leave to soak in and cool for at least 1 hour before serving.
