Romanian tăvălită, walnut-coated cake squares

Name: Romanian tăvălită, walnut-coated cake squares
Ingredients: 6 eggs; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 200 g sugar; 3 tablespoons oil; 1 teaspoon vanilla essence; 200 g flour; 200 ml milk; 300 g sugar; 3 tablespoons dark cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon rum essence; 200 g finely ground walnuts; 100 g coconut flakes

Dessert - Romanian tăvălită, walnut-coated cake squares by Anuta K. - Recipia

Romanian tăvălită has squares with a fluffy crumb, and finely ground walnuts cling to them over the cocoa glaze. The egg-and-vanilla sponge stays soft inside, with a sweet milk-and-cocoa coating on the outside; coconut flakes change the coating without changing the crumb. I prefer small, bite-sized squares that I can pick up with my fingers. Prep: 25 minutes. Cook: 30 minutes. Rest: 50 minutes. Total time: 105 minutes. Servings: 20. About 250 kcal and 5 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

For the sponge

6 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
200 g sugar
3 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
200 g flour

For the glaze

200 ml milk
300 g sugar
3 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon rum essence

For coating

200 g finely ground walnuts
100 g coconut flakes

Preparation

1. Line a 25 × 35 cm baking pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 180 °C. Beat the whole eggs with the salt and sugar until the mixture is pale and airy, then add the oil and vanilla essence. Fold in the sifted flour. 2. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool for 30 minutes. 3. Put the milk, sugar, cocoa and rum essence in a saucepan. Stir over low heat for 5 minutes, until the glaze comes to a boil and the sugar dissolves. Leave it to cool for 10 minutes. 4. Cut the cooled cake into squares. 5. Choose ground walnuts or coconut flakes for coating. Stick a bamboo skewer into each square or use a mini fork to dip the squares in the glaze for a few seconds on all sides, then roll them in the topping. Leave them on a platter at room temperature for 20 minutes, until the glaze sets.

Notes

I’ve made it with both walnuts and coconut, but when I choose, I stick with walnuts; I know the sponge from Jamila, and the glaze is Violeta Postolache’s. The walnuts should be finely ground, with the bits still visible, not turned into an oily paste that won’t cling easily to the squares. In a 25 × 35 cm pan, squares about 3 cm across are easy to turn on a skewer; keep some of the larger ones in the glaze a little longer. If the glaze thickens while you work, warm it briefly over low heat, just until it runs off the spoon again. The flour contains gluten, and the cake has eggs, milk and walnuts; coconut flakes replace only the walnut coating. Fine coconut flakes sit closer to the cake than long, thick ones. Store the pieces in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and take a serving out a little before serving. I have them with black coffee or black tea.

Frequently asked questions

Does the sponge need baking powder?

No. Beat the eggs with the sugar for 5 minutes, until foamy, then fold in the flour without mixing for long.

Can I use a different cocoa for the glaze?

Yes, you can use 3 tablespoons of regular unsweetened cocoa; the glaze will be lighter in color.

What should I do if the glaze gets too thick?

Add 1 tablespoon of milk and stir the glaze over low heat for 1 minute, until it runs easily.

Can I replace the oil in the sponge with butter?

Yes. Use 45 g melted and cooled butter instead of the 3 tablespoons of oil; the sponge will have a somewhat denser texture.

Why does the walnut coating come off the squares?

Let the glaze drip off each square for just a moment before rolling it in the coating. If you dip it for too little time, the walnuts won’t have an even coating to stick to.