Mikado mazurek

Mikado mazurek is a rather unusual Polish Easter cake made with… cooked rice! Nutty and chocolatey, moist, slightly sticky and absolutely delicious. The rice is probably what gives the cake its characteristic moist and chewy texture, while also helping it stay fresh for longer. You can bake it on a shortcrust pastry base, on a wafer, or without a base altogether – the choice is yours.

Ingredients for the base:

• 1 wafer measuring approximately 22 x 30 cm (or square wafers trimmed to size)

Ingredients for the cake:

• 120 g Arborio rice (or another sticky rice) + 250 ml boiling water
• 60 g blanched almonds, finely chopped
• 60 g hazelnuts, skinned and finely chopped
• 100 g dark chocolate (50% cocoa), grated
• 8 egg yolks from large eggs
• 120 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Pour the boiling water over the rice and cook until tender, about 25 minutes or according to the instructions on the packet. If the water evaporates before the rice is cooked, add a little more water at a time. Drain the cooked rice and press it through a potato ricer or sieve (I used a blender). Leave to cool completely.

Place the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer and beat until pale and very fluffy. Add the rice and beat thoroughly to combine. Add the hazelnuts, almonds and grated chocolate and mix briefly, just until combined.

Line a 20 x 30 cm baking tin with baking paper. Place the wafer in the base and trim it to fit. Pour the cake mixture over the wafer and smooth the surface.

Bake at 175°C for about 30–35 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.

Ingredients for the chocolate topping:

• 150 g dark chocolate (50% cocoa), finely chopped
• 70 ml milk
• 15 g butter

Place the milk and butter in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and leave for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth and glossy. If necessary, pass the topping through a sieve.

Additionally:

• toasted almonds, flaked almonds or hazelnuts, for decoration

Pour the chocolate topping over the mazurek while it is thickening and smooth the surface. Decorate with almonds and hazelnuts.

Enjoy!

Recipe source: Przysmaki polskiego stołu by Marek Łebkowski.