AJDNEK

For me and my family ajdnek is one of the best buckwheat cakes. The main ingredients - buckwheat, walnuts and honey - produce a harmonious taste that is, in my opinion, just excellent and so well connected to a traditional taste of Slovenia.

Ajdnek made in a round shape model

Ajdnek originates from Upper Savinja Valley. This countryside region near Savinja river is surrounded with high mountains.

Savinja

The view on the valley
from Mt.Raduha 

Pasture on Loka - on the way to
Mt.Raduha 

In the past, people were mostly farmers and foresters. Some farms in this region are the highest in Slovenia. Buckwheat was and still is the perfect wheat to grow. Walnuts and honey were also around and mothers treated their families with ajdnek for big holidays, like Easter.

Today tourism is quickly developing and with it traditional culinary is coming back. There even is  the best ajdnek making competition these days.

The recipe for ajdnek:

The amount of ingrediets always depends on a size of a baking tray/dish. This time I baked it in a round model which I often use to make a cake shape a bit more attractive. 

The diameter of the baking tray is 24 cm and the hight is 9 cm. 

Ingredients:

The dough:

300g of buckwheat flour

300ml of boiling water

200g of wheat flour

1 pack of dry yeast (for the amount of 1/2 to 1kg of flour)

1tsp of salt 

3 tbsp of olive oil or warm butter or souer cream

Milk or water if needed

For the filling:

400g of walnuts - grounded

250ml of good honey - warm up to get liquid

cinnamon - optional

sugar powder

Preparation:

For the dough, put buckwheat flour in a big bowl first. Boil the water and pour over the flour. Mix well with a big wooden spoon. Keep aside to cool down, then mix with wheat flour.  

Buckwheat flour mixed
with boiling water

adding wheat flour 

Now add all the other ingredients for the dough and knead a soft dough. Make it soft enough as you will work with a spoon.

Soft dough

Cover the dough and put to rise - approximately 1 hour. 

Now you can grind the walnuts and warm the honey if necessary. Prepare the baking tray - use baking paper if possible or cover it with a butter and flour. 

When the dough is ready start to gradually make layers - dough, walnuts, honey, cinnamon.  You can use big spoon or wet hands to load the layers of the dough.

The first layer of the dough

than the layer of walnuts and honey

You should make at least 3 layers of dough and 2 layers of walnuts. Finish with the dough and leave it to rise again - approximately 15 to 20 minutes. 

During that time preheat  the owen and warm to 180 degrees celsius. Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes.  

Leave baked ajdnek for a few minutes to rest and then tilt it with caution on a decorative plate. Cover with icing sugar before serving.

Just baked

Cover with sugar powder 

All buckwheat cakes are best eaten fresh. Try it, it is just delicious!!!

Ajdnek for Soba Festival in Echizen, Japan

Ajdnek made for Little Ambassadors in Tokyo

See more photos on this LINK!