Žemľovka

Ingredients

Bread

• 6stale bread rolls, or 400 g stale white bread
• 400 mlmilk
• 50 gbutter, melted

Apples

• 1 kgtart apples, peeled and sliced
• 80 gsugar
• 2 teaspoonsground cinnamon
• 50 graisins, optional
• a squeeze of lemon

Curd layer

• 500 gtvaroh or quark
• 3eggs, separated
• 80 gsugar
• 1 teaspoonvanilla
• grated zest of 1 lemon

To finish

• icing sugar, for dusting
• butter, for the dish

Directions

1. Drain it in a sieve for an hour if it is loose. The bread must be genuinely stale. Leave rolls out overnight if they are fresh. Slice them about a centimetre thick. Lay the slices in a wide dish.
2. Warm the milk and pour it over them. Let them soak for ten minutes. Turn them once so both sides absorb it. They should be softened but not falling apart. Drain off any milk that has not been absorbed. Preparing the apples takes a few minutes.
3. Peel and core all of the apples. Slice them thinly, about three millimetres. Toss them with the sugar and cinnamon. Add a squeeze of lemon to stop them browning.
4. Stir in the raisins if you are using them. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale. Add the tvaroh, the vanilla and the lemon zest. Mix it into a smooth thick cream. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks separately.
5. Fold them into the curd mixture gently. That folding is what keeps the layer light. Butter a deep baking dish well. Lay half the soaked bread across the bottom. Spread half the apples over the bread. Spoon half the curd mixture over the apples. Spread it out roughly rather than perfectly. Repeat with the remaining bread and apples. Finish with the last of the curd on top.
6. Brush the surface with the melted butter. Baking it takes about forty-five minutes. Heat the oven to 180C with a shelf in the middle. Bake it uncovered for forty-five minutes. The top should be golden and slightly puffed. Cover it with foil if the top browns too fast.
7. Take it out and let it stand for fifteen minutes. Serving it is done while warm. Dust it generously with icing sugar. Cut it into squares and lift them out. It is served warm as a main course at lunch.

Technique

• Sweet baked dishes served as a main course are a normal part of Czech and Slovak home cooking rather than a dessert course.
• Zemlovka in particular is a way of using up stale rolls and is cooked from what is in the house.

Substitutions

• Ricotta can replace tvaroh but should be drained well first.
• Pears or plums can replace some of the apple.

Variations

• A version without the curd layer is simpler and more common in some households.
• Some cooks pour a milk and egg custard over the whole thing before baking.
• Adding ground poppy seed between the layers is a regional variation.

History

A Slovak and Czech household pudding built from stale rolls, apples and quark.

Frequently asked questions

What is Žemľovka?

Žemľovka is a dessert from Slovakia: bread pudding layered with apples, cinnamon and curd, then baked. A Slovak and Czech household pudding built from stale rolls, apples and quark.

How long does Žemľovka take to make?

Žemľovka takes 25 minutes of preparation and 45 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 6. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Žemľovka?

Yes, within limits. Ricotta can replace tvaroh but should be drained well first. Pears or plums can replace some of the apple.

What is the most important thing to get right in Žemľovka?

Drain it in a sieve for an hour if it is loose. The bread must be genuinely stale. Leave rolls out overnight if they are fresh. Slice them about a centimetre thick. Lay the slices in a wide dish.