Healthy Way of Traditional Slovenian Cake "Potica"

It's easter time! For most of you that means lots of colored eggs, ham, spicy horseradish and all other treats that goes with it. Here in Slovenia we also make this special cake, called Potica. It's usually made for Christmas and Easter. The most tipical one is made out of walnuts, but there are many other ways to prepare it - with hazelnuts, tarragon, poppy seeds, coconut ... I usually make "potica" with hazelnuts, walnuts and chocolate. But this time I've decided to prepare it differently - more healthy and yet tasty.

So how have I managed to do that? Actually pretty easy - easier and faster than the ordinary one. I haven't used any yeast, so I didn't have to wait for the dough to rise up, so everything was made within 2 hours. I have used flours and nuts that don't acidify our body and have basicity effect on our body. I haven't used any sugar, I've substituted it with ahorn syrup. I also haven't used regular butter, I've taken coconut butter instead.

For all "potica" fans that would like to try out something new, healthy and yet delicious, here is the recipe:

Ingredients for the dough:

- 125 g wholewheat spelled flour

- 125 g regular spelled flour

- 250 g kamut flour 

- a pinch of salt

- lemon peel (from 1 lemon)

- 80 g coconut butter

- 3 Tbsp ahorn syrup

- 250 ml almond milk

- baking powder of tartar

Ingredients for the filling:

- 200 g of ground hazelnuts

- 200 g of ground almonds

- 200 ml almond milk

- cinnamon

- 2 Tbsp coconut oil

- a cup mixed of raisins and cranberries

- 3 Tbsp ahorn syrup

- pinch of rum

Preparation:

First combine all ingredients for the dough together - mix it well with "dough adapter" on your mixer. Put the dough on the table and roll it out. It should be pretty thin, around 2-3 mm thick. 

Then prepare the filling. Soak a cup of cranberries + raisins in water for 10 minutes. Then pour the water out and add some rum. Combine hazelnuts with almonds and coconut butter and mix a bit. Bring almond milk to boil and cover nuts with hot milk, mixed together with ahorn syrup. Add cinnamon and cranberries with raisins and mix it well. Spread the filling over the dough, leaving an inch free on the sides of the dough. Then roll the dough (help yourself with the table cloth) together.

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Prepare the baking pan - I've used two oblonged baking pans but you can use whatever you like. Cover the pans with baking paper and put "potica" in it. When the temperature in oven is ready, put potica in it and bake for around 1 hour until the crust is golden-brown.

I have a rabbit watching over my potica, so there will still be some left for tomorrow's festive Sunday. 

Happy easter everyone!