{"id":24234,"date":"2021-04-01T20:20:07","date_gmt":"2021-04-01T18:20:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bake-street.com\/?p=24234"},"modified":"2026-04-08T12:26:03","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T10:26:03","slug":"mazurek-or-mazurka-traditional-polish-pastry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bake-street.com\/en\/mazurek-or-mazurka-traditional-polish-pastry\/","title":{"rendered":"Mazurek or Mazurka, traditional Polish pastry"},"content":{"rendered":"

This year I wanted to leave you with several recipes to make at Easter and, with this last one, I am a little short of time…. But, there is still time to make it and enjoy it during these days, together with the great amount of Easter recipes that we have at our fingertips. Because there is nothing like celebrating and enjoying each and every moment of our lives. Today I bring you a recipe from Polish gastronomy, Mazurek<\/strong> also known as Mazurka<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

First of all, I am sure many of you know that the word “mazurek” might have its origin in the word “Mazur” (or Mazowsze<\/strong>) which refers to those who live in the Mazovia region of central Poland. It has several meanings, apart from referring to this cake; the mazurka is a Polish folk dance, but it is also the name of a country sparrow.<\/p>\n

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\"Mazurek, <\/picture><\/div>\n
Traditional Easter pastry.<\/h5>\n

Mazurek, or Mazurka, is a Polish cake that can be made with different types of doughs\/bases and fillings. To tell you the truth, when I started looking for information about them, I was a bit confused. The reason is that, normally, when we look for a particular preparation, the variation of ingredients or ways of making them are quite subtle. But, in this case, the difference between one and the other was so different that I didn’t know if I was actually looking at a recipe for the same preparation.<\/p>\n

In short, Mazurek is a\u00a0thin, flat pastry in which we use a base, a filling and decorations of our choice<\/strong>. Ideally, it should not exceed a height of 4 cm, but this rule is not always observed. Based on this information, all we have to do is let our imagination run wild.<\/p>\n

This sweet treat was originally served only at Easter and is known as mazurek wielkanocny<\/strong> (mah-ZOO-rrek vyel-ka-NAWTS-nee), but nowadays it can be enjoyed and found all year round.<\/p>\n

Making Mazurek.<\/h5>\n

As I mentioned above, there are few “norms or rules” for making this cake. Not only do they vary from one region to another, but also depending on the family or even the hands that make it. I think, without a doubt, it is the most versatile sweet I have ever come across.\u00a0 Its bases can be made of friable doughs, leveaned doughs, cookie bases or even puff pastry. Not only flour, but also almond, hazelnut or walnut flour can be found among the ingredients.<\/p>\n

The fillings are incredibly varied; chocolate, jams, creams made with peanut butter or other nuts, marzipan, cream, meringue…. Not forgetting the carefully crafted decorations. Most of them are made with dried fruits and nuts, in fact in my case I followed the pattern of one of them that I loved. I saw it on a website, but it turned out to be a stock photo<\/strong><\/a>. My most sincere congratulations for this brilliant decoration that has totally inspired the work that I leave you today.<\/p>\n

\"Mazurek, <\/picture><\/div>\n
Mazurek, the origin of the Easter jewel.<\/h5>\n

It is believed that mazurek was inspired by Turkish sweets that came to Poland via the spice trade route from Turkey in the early 17th century, but its origin is somewhat uncertain. Russians are also fond of mazurki (plural for mazurek), but they differ somewhat from traditional Polish ones. They are usually made with nut flours, which makes them suitable for coeliacs.<\/p>\n

Mazurek, whether homemade or bought, is considered an Easter treat after 40 days of fasting during Lent. This is most likely the reason why it is such a sweet and calorific cake.<\/p>\n

The period between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday are very busy days in Polish households. For this reason, many of the Easter preparations are usually made in advance. Especially desserts. That is why the mazurek has a large amount of nuts, so that it can preserve the moisture well and keep it fresh until the moment of consumption.<\/p>\n

Among the myriad decorations, especially when the top is a glaze, one can find written details such as ‘Alleluja<\/strong>‘ or ‘Weso\u0142ego Alleluja<\/strong>‘, the latter translating as ‘Happy Easter<\/strong>‘. In many cases they may be written with almonds or sour cherries. It is also common to decorate the mazurkas with chocolate or almonds that draw or simulate willow branches, a very popular sign of spring in Poland.<\/p>\n

In my case, I followed this pattern which, for me, has a classic, vintage, old-fashioned, but extremely delicate and elegant feel. I liked it a lot and that is the reason why I decided to replicate it giving some different details, especially in the dough shaping.<\/p>\n