Lemon cream tart with white chocolate and rose petals (Mazurek)
It would be impossible to write a book on Polish sweet things without Mazurek, a pastry synonymous with Poland and, in particular, with the Polish Easter table. There are so many variations that Mazurek can, in fact, be enjoyed year-round. A mazurek is really just a tart, or a sheet cake, made with a short pastry base. The base should be shallow and flat with a little rim, like a picture frame. The topping, whether a lemon cream, colourful icing, chocolate icing or a caramel-fudge topping, becomes a blank canvas for decoration. You could use a hazelnut spread, at a push. At Eastertime, the Mazurek will most often be decorated with nuts and dried fruit, depicting floral scenes and catkins, or pussy willow. Modern versions might be decorated with dried petals or freeze-dried berries. The same can be said for the shape, be it rectangular, oval, round or square. I like to make mine in a fluted, rectangular tart mould, with a loose base (measuring 36 x 12cm/14 x 4in), but you could also try making an oval shape, free-form. My go-to recipe is adapted from one of my oldest Polish recipe books called Kuchnia Polska.
This recipe is an extract from The Sweet Polish Kitchen: A celebration of home baking & nostalgic treats by Ren Behan (Pavilion Books).
Next, why not try more Easter recipes from the House & Garden archive?
Ingredients
Serves 8
For the pastry
For the filling
To decorate (optional)
Step 1
For the pastry, sift the flour into a bowl and add the butter. Rub together with your fingers until you have fine breadcrumbs, then add the icing sugar, sour cream or yogurt, egg yolks and vanilla, and bring the dough together. There is no need to knead. You can also make the pastry in a food processor, which is even easier. Wrap in clingfilm and leave your pastry in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes.
Step 2
If you are using a tart tin with sides, or fluted edges, lightly brush the tin with melted butter before using.
Step 3
Dust a board with a little flour and roll out the pastry to about the thickness of a pound coin, or 3mm/1⁄8in, and carefully press the pastry into the tin and into the edges. If you are free-forming your pastry, leave a quarter of your pastry to make a rim, roll out your pastry and brush the edges with a little beaten egg white. Then, create strips with the remaining pastry and stick those around the edge to form a lip or a frame. Rest your pastry in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Step 4
Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6/400°F.
Step 5
Prick the bottom of the tart with a fork and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the base looks evenly cooked and golden.
Step 6
For the filling, in a small pan, beat the eggs and add the lemon zest and juice. Gently heat over a very low heat, stirring all the time. Add the butter, bit by bit, until the mixture starts to thicken. While the mixture is warm, add the white chocolate and stir until smooth. Cool the lemon cream before filling the tart case.
Step 7
Once filled, refrigerate your tart for at least 1 hour to set, then decorate as desired.
