Kelešica

Kelešica (Croatian Honey-Sesame Cookie Cake)

Kelešica is a traditional Croatian festive sweet, especially beloved in the Slavonia region. Layers of crisp honey-sesame cookies are bound with a light apricot glaze and topped with a glossy dark-chocolate frosting.

Prep

30 min

Cook

25 min

Total

55 min

Serves

10

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (14 oz) plain flour, all-purpose
• •120 g (½ cup) honey, Croatian bagrem (acacia) or any mild blossom honey
• •120 g (½ cup) sugar
• •150 g (5¼ oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• •2 whole eggs, room temperature
• •1 tsp baking soda
• •1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice, to activate the soda
• •120 g (¾ cup) toasted sesame seeds, dry-toast in a pan until golden
• •1 tsp ground cloves, or to taste
• •300 g (10½ oz) apricot jam, warmed, for brushing and binding
• •200 g (7 oz) dark chocolate (70 %), for the glaze
• •60 ml (¼ cup) neutral oil or butter, to thin the chocolate glaze

Steps

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 180 °C / 350 °F and grease a 24 cm (9½ in) round springform tin with butter.
2. 2 In a small saucepan, melt the butter, honey and sugar over low heat until the sugar dissolves; do not boil. Cool for 5 minutes.
3. 3 Whisk the eggs into the cooled honey-butter mixture, then stir in the cloves.
4. 4 Combine the flour and baking soda in a bowl. Add the vinegar or lemon juice to the wet mixture, then fold in the dry ingredients to form a soft dough. Mix in the toasted sesame seeds.
5. 5 Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece out on parchment paper into a circle the diameter of the tin, about 4–5 mm (⅙ in) thick.
6. 6 Transfer each disc to the tin (or bake one after another) and bake for 10–12 minutes, until deep golden and firm to the touch. Internal doneness: the surface should look matte, not wet, and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.
7. 7 Cool the layers completely on a wire rack.
8. 8 Warm the apricot jam until spreadable. Brush the top of the first layer with jam, place the second layer on top, brush again, then top with the third layer and brush the entire cake generously.
9. 9 Melt the dark chocolate with the oil or butter over a bain-marie until smooth. Pour over the cake and spread to the edges, letting some run down the sides.
10. 10 Refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the glaze sets and the layers meld. Slice with a hot, dry knife into thin wedges. Storage note: keeps 5 days in a sealed tin; flavor improves after 24 hours.