Desert of Saints or Moldovan Martyrs
This year, I made Moldovan 'mucenici' at home for the first time. Usually, my mother would make them almost every spring, but this time I wanted to try the recipe just as I remembered it from childhood. They didn't seem hard to make, just a bit tedious to shape, but with some patience, everything goes well. Quick Info Total time: about 2 hours and 30 minutes (includes rising) Preparation time: 1 hour Baking time: 25-30 minutes Servings: 18 pieces (medium size, about the size of a palm) Difficulty: medium, especially when shaping Occasion: early March, Mucenici / Sfintisori Ingredients For the dough: 900 g white flour 1 cube of yeast (40-50 g) 100 ml warm water 130 g butter 300 ml warm milk 250 g sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon salt For the syrup: 300 ml water 5-6 tablespoons honey For brushing: 1 egg 2-3 tablespoons milk For decoration: honey ground walnuts Preparation method 1. Start with the dough. Put 850 g of flour in a large bowl (you'll use the rest of the flour later if needed). Make a small well in the middle, pour in 100 ml of warm water, and crumble the yeast cube. Mix gently, allowing the yeast to dissolve completely in the water. 2. Add the sugar, warm milk, and diced butter. Mix gently until the butter starts to melt. Crack the egg, add the salt, and then start mixing everything together. 3. Knead the dough. If it feels too sticky, add more flour; if it's too hard, add a little warm water. You should get an elastic dough that doesn't stick to your hands. Kneading takes about 10-12 minutes. 4. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for one hour, until the dough almost doubles in volume. 5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Tear off pieces about the size of an egg, shape them into balls, and let them sit on the table for a few minutes to relax the gluten. 6. Take each ball, roll it with your palms until you get a long and fairly thin string. Twist the ends in opposite directions, then bring them together to form a figure '8'. Press the ends slightly to stick them together. 7. Place the 'mucenici' on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, spaced apart, as they will rise more. Beat the egg with 2-3 tablespoons of milk and brush them on top. 8. Put the tray in the oven at medium-low heat (170-180°C) for about 25-30 minutes, until they are golden brown. 9. While the 'mucenici' are baking, prepare the syrup. Heat 300 ml of water in a small pot, add 5-6 tablespoons of honey, and stir until completely dissolved. The syrup should be warm, not hot. 10. Remove the 'mucenici' from the oven and place them in a clean tray, next to each other. Pour the warm syrup over them while they are still hot, so they absorb the liquid well. 11. Brush each 'mucenic' with a little honey (using a brush or spoon), then generously sprinkle ground walnuts on top. 12. Let them sit for 20-30 minutes to absorb the syrup, then they can be served. Why I make the recipe often I make Moldovan 'mucenici' every year because they are great fresh, but also after a day or two. They keep well and do not require hard-to-find ingredients. They can be made in advance for fasting days or brought to work or school if you want a homemade sweet treat. Tips and variations Tips 1. If you don’t have time to knead by hand, use a mixer with a dough hook. 2. Don’t rush the rising – if they don’t rise enough, they will be denser. 3. Brush them well before baking; otherwise, they won’t have a shiny crust. Substitutions 1. Milk can be replaced with plant-based milk if you need a fasting version. 2. Butter can be substituted with margarine, but the final texture will be slightly different. 3. Walnuts can be omitted for those with allergies, but the flavor will be simpler. Variations 1. If you want them sweeter, you can add an extra tablespoon of sugar. 2. In some regions, a bit of grated lemon or orange zest is added to the dough. 3. For shape, you can make them thicker or thinner, depending on your preference. Serving ideas They can be served cold or slightly warm. They are good as a snack with coffee or tea, or as a simple dessert. If left overnight, they become even more syrupy. Frequently asked questions 1. Can 'mucenici' be frozen? They can be frozen before being soaked in syrup. After thawing, heat them slightly and soak them as usual. 2. Why didn’t my 'mucenici' rise? Most likely, the yeast was not activated properly, or the dough did not rise long enough. Use room temperature ingredients and let them rise longer if it’s cool in the kitchen. 3. What kind of honey should I use for the syrup? Any honey you have on hand, but a floral or multifloral one has a milder taste. Avoid varieties with a very strong flavor if you don’t like their aroma in desserts. 4. How do I keep 'mucenici' for several days? In a covered container, at room temperature, for a maximum of 2-3 days. They become more syrupy over time. Nutritional values (estimated, per piece) One serving (one 'mucenic') has approximately: calories: 250-300 kcal carbohydrates: 40-45 g fats: 7-8 g proteins: 4-5 g Estimated values, may vary depending on how much honey and walnuts you use at the end. Storage and reheating 'Mucenici' keep well at room temperature in a sealed box. If you want to keep them for more than two days, put them in the fridge, but let them sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving. They are not as good cold. They can be heated for a few seconds in the microwave if you prefer to eat them softer. If they are too dry after a few days, you can sprinkle them with a bit of syrup or honey. This is the recipe I make when I want a simple and traditional dessert for 'mucenici' days. There’s no need for many additional explanations – the more you make it, the easier it will seem to you.
Preparation
In a large bowl, we put 850 g of flour (if more is needed, we can add it later). We make a small well in the center where we add warm water and dissolve the yeast in it. Now we add the sugar, warm milk, butter, and mix until the butter melts. We add the egg and salt and start kneading well. If more flour/warm water is needed, it can be added now. We knead well until the dough no longer sticks to our hands. We cover the bowl with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour. We tear pieces from the dough and form balls. We flour the work surface and roll each ball into long, thin rolls. We twist the ends of each roll in opposite directions, then we pinch the ends together, and it should twist itself, just like in the pictures. We twist it a little more until we reach the desired shape and pinch the ends to form a pretzel, then we overlap the dough in the shape of an 8. We line a baking tray with parchment paper and place the sweet rolls on it. We beat the egg with milk and brush the sweet rolls. We put the tray in the oven at medium-low heat until they are beautifully browned. After taking them out, we place them in another tray and while they are still hot, we soak them with hot syrup (for the syrup: we heat water in a small pot and dissolve honey in it). Then we brush them with honey and sprinkle with ground walnuts. From these quantities, I got 18 sweet rolls the size of a palm. Enjoy your meal!
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