Armenian Cake "Monk's Hut"- «Վանական Խրճիթ»

emointhekitchen

“Hut”, “Cherry Honeycomb”, “Pyramid”, “Roof” – these are all names for the same cake – “Monastery Hut”. Today, there are a huge number of different recipes, but for beginners in the art of confectionery, it is more appropriate to start with the traditional method of preparation. Moreover, the classic version of this delicacy combines softness, fragility and an unrivalled aroma.

Such a delicacy will not leave indifferent even the most demanding gourmet. Therefore, if you want to surprise your loved ones with a real culinary masterpiece, master the traditional recipe. Moreover, despite such a complex name, this dessert is not so difficult to prepare; on the contrary, it is very easy. If you familiarise yourself with a proven recipe and small secrets, the result will certainly exceed all your expectations.

You just need to know how to properly prepare the dough, make sure that the tubes are well soaked, and prevent the filling from flowing out.

Of course, first you need to prepare all the ingredients needed to make the dessert.

Dough:

230-250 grams of flour
200 g butter or margarine
200 g sugar
200 g sour cream or yoghurt
0.5 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. soda or baking powder
vanilla

The filling:

500 g cherry jam – grains
100-150 g. walnuts

Cream:

250-300 g butter
1 can of boiled condensed milk
vanilla

Procedure:

Add sugar and salt to softened butter or margarine and beat until well combined. Introduce baking soda or baking powder to sour cream or yoghurt with vinegar, stirring constantly into the butter mixture. Incorporate flour to form a dough that does not stick to your hands.

Divide the dough into six parts, rolling each ball with a rolling pin and cutting it into long strips. Spread cherry jam and chopped walnuts on the dough along each layer, securing the edges. Place the bars on a baking sheet, seam side up and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes at 180 degrees. Remove the baked bars from the oven and let them cool.

Now let’s prepare the cream. Beat the butter until foamy. Gradually add the condensed milk while continuing to beat. Incorporate vanilla into the resulting mixture.

Let’s start assembling the hut. Arrange the sticks in a row, one on top of the other. In the first row, place four cream-covered sticks and spread cream on them again, smoothing it out. Next, place three sticks on top, cover them with cream in the same way, then add two sticks and finally one stick. Completely cover the cake with the remaining cream and sprinkle with crushed nuts. Leave the finished cake for four to five hours to allow the cream to soak in.

Walnut – Property – Sweet, warm; kidney, liver and large intestine meridians entered.
Actions -Tonify the kidney, warm yang and moisten the intestine.
Indications – Cough and dyspnea due to lung and kidney deficiency, soreness and limpness in the lumbar and knees, spermatorrhea, frequent urination, dryness in the intestine and constipation.
Cautions – It is contraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with effulgent fire, cough and loose stool due to phlegm-heat.

Cherry – Property – Sweet, warm; spleen, stomach and kidney meridians entered.
Actions -Tonify blood and replenish the kidney.
Indications – Spermatorrhea caused by kidney deficiency, diarrhoea caused by spleen deficiency, numb limbs, paralysis, lumbago and leg pain.
Cautions – Do not eat too much.

Sweet stuff can be found here