Mazurek Kajmakowy: Polish-style Easter Caramel Tart

Method14 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Sift the 300 g shortcrust flour and 100 g powdered sugar onto the work surface and mix together.

   Uses 300 g shortcrust flour · 100 g shortcrust powdered sugar

2. 2

   Step 2: Add the 200–220 g cold shortcrust butter to the flour and sugar. Chop it in until the mixture becomes crumbly.

   Uses All sifted flour and powdered sugar · 200–220 g cold shortcrust butter

3. 3

   Step 3: Add the 3 egg yolks and pinch of salt to the butter crumbs and fold them in.

   Uses All butter, flour and sugar crumbs · 3 egg yolks · 1 pinch shortcrust salt

4. 4

   Step 4: Bring the complete mixture together by hand, kneading just until a smooth shortcrust dough forms.

   Uses All shortcrust ingredients

5. 5

   Step 5: Shape the dough into a ball and wrap it in food-safe film.

   Uses All smooth shortcrust dough

6. 6

   Step 6: Refrigerate the wrapped dough for 30–60 minutes until firm enough to roll. It may instead stay refrigerated overnight if preparing ahead.

   Chill the shortcrust until firm · 30 minUses All wrapped shortcrust dough

7. 7

   Step 7: Grease a 35×25 cm (14×10 inch) tart pan with the separate extra butter, then line it with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F.

   Uses Extra pan-greasing butter, as needed

8. 8

   Step 8: Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator.

   Uses All chilled shortcrust dough

9. 9

   Step 9: Lightly dust the worktop and rolling pin with the separate extra flour. Roll out the chilled dough and gently line the prepared pan, rolling it around the pin to transfer if helpful. Patch any gaps with dough, trim the edges and reserve all trimmings.

   Uses All chilled dough, rolled and fitted to the pan · Extra dusting flour, as needed

10. 10

    Step 10: Shape the reserved pastry trimmings into a braid or thin rope and attach it around the edge of the lined pastry base.

    Uses The lined raw pastry base · All reserved pastry trimmings

11. 11

    Step 11: Bake the complete pastry base at 200°C/390°F for about 20 minutes, until light golden and cooked through. This shortcrust base stays flat.

    Bake the shortcrust base until golden · 20 minUses All shaped raw pastry base

12. 12

    Step 12: Remove the baked base from the oven and leave it to cool completely before adding the caramel.

    Uses All baked shortcrust base

13. 13

    Step 13: Spread all 400–450 g kajmak from the source-sized can evenly over the completely cooled pastry base.

    Uses All completely cooled pastry base · 400–450 g kajmak, the contents of one source-sized can

14. 14

    Step 14: Decorate the filled tart with your choice of nuts, dried fruit and vegetarian chocolate, in amounts you prefer. Cut the tart into 20 pieces for serving.

    Uses All kajmak-filled tart · Optional decorative nuts, as desired · Optional dried-fruit decoration, as desired · Optional vegetarian chocolate decoration, as desired