Shendetlie

Ingredients

Cake

• 500 gplain flour
• 250 gcaster sugar
• 250 mlsunflower oil
• 200 mlkos yoghurt
• 150 ghoney
• 3large eggs
• 200 gwalnuts, coarsely chopped
• 2 tspground cinnamon
• ½ tspground clove
• 1 tspbicarbonate of soda
• 1 tspbaking powder
• 1 pinchfine salt
• grated zest of 1 orange

Syrup

• 500 gsugar
• 400 mlwater
• 150 ghoney
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• 1short cinnamon stick

To finish

• 50 gwalnut halves, one per diamond

Directions

1. Beat the eggs with the sugar for 3 minutes until pale, then whisk in the oil, kos, honey and orange zest until smooth and emulsified.
2. Fold in the flour, cinnamon, clove, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate in two additions, stopping the moment the flour disappears; overworking gives a tough, rubbery crumb.
3. Fold through the chopped walnuts and pour into a buttered 30 by 25 cm tray, levelling the top.
4. Score the batter into diamonds with an oiled knife, cutting halfway down, and press a walnut half into the centre of each.
5. Bake at 170°C (350°F) fan for 40 to 45 minutes, until deep brown, firm on top and a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs.
6. Meanwhile boil the sugar, water, lemon juice and cinnamon stick for 8 minutes to a light syrup, stir in the honey off the heat and leave to cool completely.
7. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, cut all the way through along the scored lines, then pour the cold syrup slowly over the whole tray in three passes, letting each soak in.
8. Leave uncovered at room temperature for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, until the syrup has reached the base and the cake is dark, dense and sticky. Lift out the diamonds with a palette knife.

Technique

• Shendetlie means health cake, and it is baked for celebrations, for the New Year and for guests across central Albania, Elbasan and Kavajë especially.
• Hot cake, cold syrup. If both are hot the cake goes to mush; if both are cold the syrup sits on top and never penetrates.
• The bicarbonate reacts with the acid in the yoghurt and honey to give lift without eggs alone doing the work, and it also darkens the crumb, which is correct here.

Substitutions

• Butter, 200 g melted, can replace the oil for a richer cake, though the traditional version is oil-based and keeps better.
• No kos: use plain yoghurt or 200 ml milk soured with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and left 10 minutes.

Variations

• Some households add 2 tablespoons of raki or brandy to the syrup.
• A Kavajë version doubles the walnuts and folds in 100 g of raisins soaked in warm water.

History

An Albanian celebration cake whose name means health, baked for weddings and New Year.

Frequently asked questions

What is Shendetlie?

Shendetlie is a dessert from Albania: honey and walnut cake soaked in syrup, cut into diamonds. An Albanian celebration cake whose name means health, baked for weddings and New Year.

How long does Shendetlie take to make?

Shendetlie takes 25 min of preparation and 45 min plus 4 hr soaking of cooking. The recipe makes 1 tray, 24 diamonds. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Shendetlie?

Yes, within limits. Butter, 200 g melted, can replace the oil for a richer cake, though the traditional version is oil-based and keeps better. No kos: use plain yoghurt or 200 ml milk soured with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and left 10 minutes.

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

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, cut all the way through along the scored lines, then pour the cold syrup slowly over the whole tray in three passes, letting each soak in.