Nut roll facts for kids
Orahnjača variation of nut roll
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| Alternative names | Many – see text |
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| Type | Pastry |
| Place of origin | Central Europe |
| Main ingredients | Sweet yeast dough, ground nuts |
A nut roll is a delicious pastry that many people enjoy. It's made from a sweet dough, often with milk, that is rolled out super thin. Then, a yummy paste made from ground nuts and a sweetener like honey is spread all over it. The dough is then rolled up tightly into a log shape. This log is baked and then sliced into tasty pieces, showing a cool swirl of filling inside!
Nut rolls are a bit like a Swiss roll or a strudel, but they have their own special style. The most common fillings are made from ground walnuts or poppy seeds. You can find nut rolls in the United States and in many countries in Central Europe. They are known by different names depending on where you are. For example, it's called orechovník in Slovak and makowiec in Polish. In Slovenia and Serbo-Croatian areas, it might be potica or orahnjača. In Hungary, it's often called bejgli.
Nut rolls are often a special treat for holidays and celebrations. People enjoy them at weddings, Easter, and Christmas.
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How is a Nut Roll Made?
Making a nut roll starts with a sweet dough that uses yeast. This dough is rolled out flat, usually about 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) thick. Then, the tasty filling is spread evenly over the dough. After that, the dough is carefully rolled up, making a log or loaf shape. This log is then baked until it's golden brown. When you slice it, you can see the beautiful swirl of the filling inside!
There are different ways to shape nut rolls. Some are long logs, while others are baked in a bread pan. There's even a "crazy loaf" style with a unique texture. A similar walnut filling is also used in Buchteln, which are bun-shaped pastries.
Nut Rolls in Central Europe
Traditional nut rolls in Central and Eastern Europe, like makowiec and bejgli, are usually rolled into a log shape. They most often have two main types of filling: walnut or poppy seed. Besides ground nuts, other ingredients are often added to the filling. These can include cinnamon, raisins, different kinds of chopped nuts, carob, bread crumbs, lemon or orange zest, rum, butter, and heavy cream or sour cream.
Povitica: A Croatian and Slovenian Treat
The povitica is a traditional pastry from Croatia and parts of Slovenia. It's made from a buttery dough that is rolled into very thin layers. A delicious layer of brown sugar, spices, and walnuts is spread on top. The dough is then rolled into a log and baked.
The povitica was even featured on a TV show called "The Great British Baking Show" in 2014! Other similar European pastries are sometimes filled with thick jam, like apricot or cherry jam, and are called lekvarostekercs.
Slovenian Potica
In Slovenia, a traditional walnut roll cake is called Slovenian potica. It's a very popular and important part of their food culture.
Serbian Štrudla
Nut rolls are also very common in northern Serbia, especially in a region called Vojvodina. Here, they are known as "štrudla" or "savijača". Serbian nut rolls usually have a layer of poppy seeds, walnuts, or cherry filling. Sometimes, they can also be made with carob or cocoa.
Nut Rolls in the United States
Nut rolls are very popular across the United States. They are often made with a mix of walnut, poppy seed, apricot, and coffee fillings. These pastries were brought to the U.S. by immigrants from Central Europe. Over time, many other groups of people in those areas also started making and loving them.
Nut rolls are a big part of Christmas celebrations in places like Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania. They are also popular in Austin, Texas, Joliet, Illinois, Cleveland, Ohio, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Youngstown, Ohio, and the Iron Range of Minnesota. In northeastern Ohio, they are sometimes called kolachi. In Kansas City and Butte, Montana, povitica (a type of nut roll) is even considered one of the traditional state foods of Montana!
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