 Lithuanian šakotis | |
| Alternative names | Sękacz (Poland) Bankukha (Belarus) Raguolis (Lithuania) |
|---|---|
| Type | Cake |
| Region or state | Lithuania, Poland, Belarus |
| Created by | German Baumkuchen |
Šakotis ("tree cake") (Polish: sękacz [ˈsɛŋkat͡ʂ] , Belarusian: банкуха, romanized: bankukha) is a Polish, Lithuanian and Belarusian traditional spit cake. It is a cake made of butter, egg whites and yolks, flour, sugar, and cream, cooked on a rotating spit in an oven or over an open fire.
History
The cake became popular in the 19th century in the former territory of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1791). Its origins are related to the baumkuchen in German cuisine. The first recipe in the Polish - Lithuanian - Belarusian region was published in Vilnius by Jan Szyttler in 1830 (the culinary book "Kucharz dobrze usposobiony...").
Its name means "tree cake" due to its distinctive shape (it is often conical, like a pine tree, and with the drips as branches) and "tree rings" inside. It is baked in a time- and labor-intensive process, by painting layers of batter onto a rotating spit in a special open oven or over an open fire.
It can be decorated with chocolate and flower ornaments, but it is often served plain. Šakotis is one of the most important desserts in Lithuanian celebrations, especially at weddings or other special occasions such as Easter or Christmas. It was the sweet chosen to represent Lithuania in the Café Europe initiative of the Austrian presidency of the European Union, on Europe Day 2006.
In May 2015, in Druskininkai, Lithuania, the record of the biggest šakotis was broken with 372 centimetres (12.20 ft) height and 85.8 kilograms (189 lb) weight.
In 2006, Masurian sękacz was included in the list of traditional products of the Warmian–Masurian Voivodeship in Poland.
In 2019, the bankukha recipe from Porazava was included in the official list of the historical and cultural heritage of Belarus. In north-western Belarus, bankukha is known as a wedding cake made of 60 egg yolks.
Other regional varieties
- Austria – Prügelkrapfen
- Belarus – bankukha (corrupted German word Baumkuchen meaning "Tree cake")
- Czech Republic – Trdelník
- France – Gâteau à la broche
- Germany - Baumkuchen
- Luxembourg – Baamkuch has become a traditional dish served mostly on special occasions, such as weddings, christenings, etc. Yet, the cake is available all year around in certain supermarkets.
- Poland – Sękacz
- Sweden – Spettekaka with the protected geographical indication (PGI) registered by the EU
- Hungary – Kürtőskalács is a similar cake also cooked on a spit
- Slovakia – Skalický trdelník with the protected geographical indication (PGI) registered by the EU
- Turkey – Makara tatlısı is a similar cake also cooked on a spit.
Gallery
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Preparation of Sękacz in Podlaskie, Poland
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Plain, low types of soft Šakotis
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Šakotis decorated with chocolate chips and coconut shavings
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Tall Šakotis, decorated with flowers
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The cake (center) served onto plates (right and left) showing characteristic cake layers resembling growth rings of trees
See also
- Lithuanian cuisine
- Podlaskie cuisine
- List of desserts
- List of Polish desserts
- List of spit-roasted foods
References
- Lankauskas, Gediminas (2015). The Land of Weddings and Rain: Nation and Modernity in Post-Socialist Lithuania. U of Toronto P. pp. 208–11. ISBN 9781442612563.
- Goyan Kittler, Pamela; Sucher, Kathryn P.; Nelms, Marcia (2011). Food and Culture (6th ed.). Cengage Learning. p. 174. ISBN 978-0538734974.
- ^ Торт банкуху из Свислочского района могут внести в список культурного наследия - BelTA, 30 April 2019. Quote: В поселке Порозово, что на самом краю Беловежской пущи, сохранили мастерство приготовления банкухи. До сих пор не известно, откуда был привезен рецепт. Похожий пирог под название сэнкач выпекают в Польше, а в Литве такой торт известен как шакотис.
- Торт-гриль. Как в Беларуси пытаются сохранить традиции приготовления уникального свадебного пирога - Sovetskaya Belorussiya – Belarus' Segodnya, 17 May 2019. Quote: Развеем сомнения тех, кто на фотографии узнал брендовый литовский шакотис. Он и есть. Если быть точнее, то банкуха — это его белорусский «хенд мейд»‑аналог, за приготовлением которого на кухне нужно провести не менее семи часов.
- Гастротур по Беларуси: аутентичные блюда и кулинарные традиции Синеокой - Belarus.by, Official website of the Republic of Belarus. Quote: Жительницы белорусско-польского приграничья хранят уникальный рецепт блюда, которое раньше считалось непременным атрибутом любой свадьбы. Праздничный торт банкуха, внешне напоминающий литовский шакотис, считается тем лучше приготовленным, чем он выше и "ветвистее".
- Bremzen, Anya von (2014). Det goda sovjetiska köket: Minnen, mat och längtan (in Swedish). 2244. p. 242. ISBN 9789186729592.
- Baker, Mark; Presser, Brandon; Dragicevich, Peter; Richmond, Simon; Symington, Andy (2012). Lonely Planet Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania. Lonely Planet. p. 43. ISBN 9781743213049.
- "The chefs reclaiming Lithuania's cuisine". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
- Lietuvoje pasiektas rekordas: iškeptas didžiausias pasaulyje šakotis
- Spiel, Jadwiga A.; Pliszka, Monika; Borowski, Jerzy; Gutkowska, Agnieszka (2011). "Skład chemiczny, cechy sensoryczne i właściwości przeciwutleniające sękacza mazurskiego (Chemical composition, sensoric features, and antioxidants properties of 'Masurian Sękacz' cake)". Żywność. Nauka. Technologia. Jakość (in Polish and English). 18 (6). PTTŻ: 120, 131.
- Гісторыка-культурнай каштоўнасцю Беларусі прызналі пірог «банкуха» з Поразава. Што гэта такое? - Nasha Niva, 16 December 2019
- ГУРМАН. Что такое банкуха, и как ее приготовить - Minsknews.by, 16 June 2019
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