Ingredients
Batter
- 300 grye flour
- 150 gplain wheat flour
- 400 mlsoured cream, smantana
- 200 ghoney
- 150 gsugar
- 5eggs, separated
- 150 gbutter, melted
To spice
- 2 teaspoonsground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoonground cloves
- 1 teaspoonground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoongrated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoonbicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 teaspoonsalt
Sometimes added
- 100 gwalnuts, chopped
- 80 graisins
- the zest of 1 lemon
To finish
- icing sugar, for dusting
- butter, for the tin
Directions
- Use a medium or dark rye rather than a light one. Understanding smantana helps with the dairy. Let both come to room temperature. Making the batter takes about fifteen minutes. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and thick. Give it a good four minutes with a mixer.
- Add the honey and beat it in thoroughly. Warm the honey slightly if it is very stiff. Pour in the melted butter and beat again. Stir in the soured cream until smooth. Adding the dry ingredients needs a light hand.
- Sift both flours together with all the spices. Add the bicarbonate of soda and the salt. Fold the dry mixture into the wet in two additions. Fold gently with a spatula rather than beating hard. Stop as soon as no dry flour is visible.
- Stir in the walnuts, raisins and lemon zest if using them. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks in a clean bowl. Do not take them to stiff peaks. Stir a spoonful of them into the batter first. Keep as much air in as you can. The batter should be thick and dropping. Heat the oven to only 160C for it. Butter a deep round or square tin generously.
- Line the base with baking paper. Pour the batter in and level the surface. Bake it for about an hour and a half. Do not open the door for the first hour.
- Cover it loosely with foil if the top browns too fast. Testing it tells you when it is done. Leave it in the tin for twenty minutes first. Let it cool entirely before cutting it. It is fragile and crumbly while warm.
- Wrap the cold cake and leave it for a day. Serving it is done in thin slices. Dust it with icing sugar before serving. Cut small slices, since it is very rich. It keeps for a week wrapped at room temperature.
Technique
- Baba neagra is particularly associated with northern Moldova and with wedding celebrations there.
- Recipes vary considerably between households, and the proportion of rye to wheat is one of the main differences.
Substitutions
- Full-fat soured cream or creme fraiche both replace smantana.
- All wheat flour can be used, though the cake will be paler and lighter.
Variations
- Some households add cocoa for an even darker cake.
- A version with more honey and less sugar is closer to a gingerbread.
- Adding chopped prunes alongside the walnuts is common in some families.
History
Black granny: a dark, slow-baked cake of rye or wheat with sour cream, honey and spices, from northern Moldova.
Frequently asked questions
What is Babă neagră?
Babă neagră is a dessert from Moldova: dense dark baked cake, northern wedding tradition. Black granny: a dark, slow-baked cake of rye or wheat with sour cream, honey and spices, from northern Moldova.
How long does Babă neagră take to make?
Babă neagră takes 30 minutes of preparation and 1 hour 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes one cake, 12 slices. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Babă neagră?
Yes, within limits. Full-fat soured cream or creme fraiche both replace smantana. All wheat flour can be used, though the cake will be paler and lighter.
What is the most important thing to get right in Babă neagră?
Use a medium or dark rye rather than a light one. Understanding smantana helps with the dairy. Let both come to room temperature. Making the batter takes about fifteen minutes. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and thick. Give it a good four minutes with a mixer.
