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Every year I try to bake some sort of pie/cake for her birthday and this year I made something from her home country. They are basically chocolate-coconut squares. A bit like the Australlian Lamington cakes.
Her aunt makes this type of cakes, but the problem is that none of these aunts or moms in the Balkan write any recipes down. Even when I’m there and ask about measurements she can’t tell me, because she has it al in her head.
So I found this website called Balkan Lunchbox that has all kinds of great recipes from the Balkan and also a recipe to make this:
https://balkanlunchbox.com/coconut-chocolate-dessert-squares-aka-scruffies-recipe-cupavci/
INGREDIENTS:
Squares:
– 14 ounces white flour, plus a little more
– 2 eggs
– 7 ounces white granulated sugar
– 7 ounces milk
– 3.5 ounces oil, plus a little more
– 1 tablespoon baking powder
Topping:
– 10.5 ounces milk
– 10.5 ounces dark (or baking) chocolate
– 5 tablespoons white granulated sugar
– 3 tablespoons butter
– 7 ounces shredded coconut flour
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat oven to 200°F.
Combine all square paste ingredients in a bowl. Mix vigorously with a spatula for three to five minutes. The paste should be smooth and without crumbs.
Oil the pan (sized about 8×12 inches), and dust with flour. Pour the paste in. Shake the pan to even it out and place in the oven.
Turn the heat up to 425°F. The oven will be warming up as the squares are baking. This is so they rise evenly in the pan.
Baking time will depend on your oven. If your oven warms up quickly, turn the temperature down to 355F after about 15 minutes. If your oven warms up slowly, don’t change the temperature. Use the toothpick method to see if the squares are done: take a toothpick, and prick the squares in several places. If the paste stays on the toothpick, it needs more baking. If your toothpick comes out clear they’re finished. (It takes about 23 to 25 minutes for baking.) Generally they turn light brown, but not always.
As the squares are baking, combine the topping ingredients (except coconut flour) in a pot. Start warming them up on low to medium, and stir frequently until they integrate.
Pour coconut into a mixing bowl.
Take the pan with square dough out of the oven, and cut into approximately 6 rows x 4 columns to get 24 squares.
By now both the squares and the topping should be finished, and still hot. Dip each little square first into the chocolate mixture and then into the bowl with coconut. Use a fork to do this to protect your fingers. If the chocolate starts to get cold before you dip all squares in, warm it up a bit and then continue.
Store on a plate covered with foil (or in plasticware), in the fridge for up to a week.
Obozavaaaaaam
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