TWO VASILOPITA RECIPES – Vasilopita (Greek New Year Cake)
First Recipe for Vasilopita
Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 3/4 cups + 1 tablespoon white sugar
5 eggs
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Procedure:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a large bowl, blend together the butter or margarine and the sugar.
Separate 3 of the eggs; add the yolks and the 2 remaining whole eggs to the butter mixture.
Stir in the vanilla and water.
In another bowl, sift together the baking powder and flour.
Add these dry ingredients to the creamed mixture.
Whip the egg whites until they are foamy. Add 1 tablespoon sugar. Continue to whip the whites until they are stiff, but not dry.
Pour the batter into a greased 10 x 4 inch tube pan.
Wrap a large coin in foil, and place the coin in the batter.
Press the coin down; it should be completely hidden.
Sprinkle the nuts and seeds on top of the batter.
Bake the cake for about 70 minutes, or until done. Cool on a wire rack. (Note: tested recipe…proved popular)
Another Recipe for Vasilopita
Ingredients:
2 packages dry yeast
3/4 cup warm milk
5 cups flour
4 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
grated lemon rind
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg (to brush top)
1 1/2 tsp crushed/powdered mastika (optional)
sesame seeds
Procedure:
Dissolve yeast in warm milk.
Add 2 cups of the flour, and beat batter until smooth.
Cover and set in a warm place for about an hour.
Beat eggs, salt, sugar and lemon rind (and mastika).
Stir mixture into batter; add remaining flour and knead, adding gradually the melted butter, until smooth and elastic.
Cover with a cloth and let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled its size – about 2 hours.
Knead dough and put in a buttered deep round baking dish, about 12 inches in diameter.
Cover and leave in a warm place until almost doubled.
Brush with lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds, or garnish with blanched halved almonds.
Bake in a moderate oven for about 45 minutes.
When cold, make a small cut underneath with a knife and insert the gold or silver coin.(tested: it takes extra time to rise, so figure 3+ hours for first rising)
