”One of the most popular Russian desserts is a cake called medovik, consisting of honey-based pastry layers smothered in sweet smetana cream.
I’ve come up with a foolproof, quick-to-make version, which borrows the method from my ultimate indulgent dessert – Italian tiramisu. It is abundantly creamy, rich and light just like tiramisu, while the flavour of honey and black tea along with the tang of smetana never let us forget the Russian origins of this dessert.” – Alissa Timoshkina
This recipe is taken from Alissa’s cookbook, Salt and Time: Recipes from a Russian Kitchen.
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Ingredients
- 5 egg yolks
- 5 tablespoons clear honey
- 250g mascarpone cheese
- 250g smetana or soured cream
- 200ml very strong black tea, cooled
- 200g sponge fingers, preferably without a sugar coating
- Ground cinnamon, for dusting
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Method
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or an electric hand whisk, whisk the egg yolks with the honey for 5–8 minutes until the mixture turns light and fluffy.
- Mix the mascarpone and smetana together, then gently fold into the whisked egg yolk mixture.
- Pour the tea into a bowl. Quickly dip each sponge finger into the tea and arrange in a layer in the base of a medium-sized baking dish, or use individual glasses or bowls. Top with a layer of the honey–smetana mixture, then repeat until you’ve used up all the ingredients.
- Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. When you are ready to indulge, sprinkle with some cinnamon to add a bit of colour and an extra touch of flavour.
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