Before I start with this, I just wanted to say that I worked this Saturday and guess what, I was making Sacher tortes alllll day! I loved it, it was something very new to me, because we are talking about a real Sacher torte here. I will definitely dedicate one post to the old classic, for sure.

As I mentioned in my previous post, this was the special project I was working on. "Orahnjacha" is my favourite since I was a kid, but only when my mum makes it :)
It is a very traditional Croatian cake made of fresh yeast dough and walnut filling, and it's also made in many other European countries just like here at Demel. She actually took bits and pieces of many different recepis and added some of her personal touch to it and honestly, I never ate something like this from anyone else before. Soooo, after years and years I decided to give it a try myself. Ha, very interesting.
I had some issues like the fact that FRESH yeast didn't work at first (very odd!) and then I added some more, it worked, but later I could taste it in the dough. And then I had some difficulties with my tiny little oven. Oh, you have no idea how small this oven this is and it wasn't very smart to bake this in it. I was playing with the temperature for quite a while. It was fun actually :))
But I always say, all of those things are a part of the experience. At the end it tasted very good (of course!), but it was a bit dry because of the oven. And it didn't taste like my mum's I have to be honest. Oh welll, I shall try again, again and again! ;)
Have I ever told you the story about my grandma's crepes?

Anyways, here is the recipe, give it a try!

"ORAHNJACHA"

Dough:

300g flour
30g fresh yeast
160g melted butter, cooled slightly
60g sugar
pinch of salt
2 eggs
lemon zest (very important!)


Walnut filling:

160g sugar
300g finely ground walnuts (it is originally made with walnuts, but you can replace one part with almonds, very good as well)
250ml milk

Dissolve the yest in a little bit of lukewarm water and add a pinch of sugar to it. Cover and leave to rise. We always do this, and like that you are SURE if it's working.

Mix the rest of the Dough ingredients and add the risen yest. Mix well ( I use the wooden spoon, works the best!), actually beat it like you're mad.

Leave the dough in the bowl, cover with a cloth and then with a blanket or leave near heating (if in winter time). Let rest for an hour or until it gets double in size. Actually, it doesn't rise that much, but 50 mins should be enough.

In the meantime make the walnut filling by bringing the milk and the sugar to the boil, take of the heat and mix in ground walnuts. Let cool. This filling usually contains raisins, rum, other flavourings, honey, chocolate even....But, I love it just like this, very simple and extremly good.

Flour the table surface, roll out yout dough very thin and make sure you roll it out in lenght. It doesn't matter if it sticks to the table. Don't try to move it! Spread the walnut filling on the whole surface leaving just 2cm free from the edges. Roll it out so you get like a very long sausage. Now this is the hard part. In a buttered and floured 26cm round baking tin (or you can out baking paper) place the dough in the tin in a spiral shape. Get the idea? It is a bit tricky because the dough is very soft and it's hard to handle. If you like, you can do it like I did, put it 2 smaller round tins.

Bake at 180°, cca. an hour. A tootpick will do the trick ;)
Let cool slightly and unmold. Dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy and send me a piece!!