Medjimurje gibanica is one of my favorite traditional Croatian desserts. It is an amazing combination of four fillings – poppy seed, fresh cheese, walnut and apple filling spread between sheets of phyllo dough (traditionaly homemade, but store-bought phyllo dough is convenient and faster way). So good!
Medjimurska gibanica or Medjimurijan layer cake/strudel is a sweet dish of Medjimurje cuisine, an integral part of Croatian cuisine. It is very similar to Slovenian „Prekmurska gibanica“, but it is also differed from it by some characteristic elements. As our Medjimurje gibanica has 4 layers, Slovenian Prekmurska gibanica has 8 layers, 2 layers of the same filling, which are significantly thiner, and it is made with shortcrust pastry, and Medjimurje gibanica is made with phyllo dough sheets.
As a multi-layered, very richly filled and very caloric sweet dish, Medimurje gibanica is made with phyllo dough sheets and four types of fillings: Ground poppy seed, fresh cow’s cheese, ground walnuts and grated apple filling. You can also add some raisins to walnut or apple filling if you like.
WHAT INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED?
- Phyllo dough sheets
- Ground poppy seeds
- Ground walnuts
- Fresh/farmers cheese (cottagae cheese or ricotta can be substituted)
- apples
- eggs
- milk
- granulated sugar
- cinnamon, vanilla extract and spiced rum (optional)
- grated lemon zest
- unsalted butter
HOW TO STORE MEDJIMURJE GIBANICA AND HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?
Store your cake in air-tight container or wrapped in plastic foil and store it in the fridge. It will last 4-5 days. I don’t recommed freezing it!
FEW TIPS:
- Very important is to squeeze excess liquid from grated apples so that whole cake won’t be soggy. But don’t go crazy and squeeze every last drop of it, it still should be moist.
- You can made your own phyllo dough instead of store-bought, which is more traditional way.
- There is two way to finish the cake. You can just brush the last sheet of phyllo dough with melted butter (as I did) or you can make a mixture of 180 grams sour cream and 1 egg and pour it all over the cake. Either way is very delicious.
- You can add raisins to the walnut or apple filling, if you like. I’m not a fan of raisins, so I don’t use them.
- This is very rich cake, I mean in calories, so don’t cut to big slices.
Happy baking,
Medjimurska gibanica/Medjimurijan layer cake
Equipment
- 33x23 cm (13x9 inch) baking pan
Ingredients
- 12 sheets phyllo dough the same size as the baking pan, if too large cut them to fit into the pan
- 60 grams (1/4 cup) unsalted butter melted
Poppy seed filling
- 300 grams (10.5 oz) ground poppy seeds
- 200 ml hot milk
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 egg whites lightly beaten
Cheese filling
- 500 grams (1 lb) fresh/farmers cheese cottage cheese or ricotta can be substituted
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Walnut filling
- 300 grams (10.5 oz) ground walnuts
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 150 ml hot milk
- 1 tablespoon spiced dark rum
Apple filling
- 700 grams (24 oz) grated apples approx 1 kg of apples, preferably tart
- 60 grams (2.1 oz) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the poppy seed mixture: mix ground poppy seeds,granulated sugar and vanilla, pour hot milk and whisk until incorporated. Fold in lightly beaten egg whites. Set aside.
- Make the cheese mixture: Mix eggs, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest. Fold in fresh cheese. Set aside.
- Make the walnut mixture: Mix ground walnuts and sugar, pour hot milk and rum (if using) and whisk until incorporated. Set aside.
- Make the apple filling: Mix all the ingredients. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F). Grease 33x23 cm (13x9 inch) baking pan with butter.
- Stack 3 sheets of phyllo dough and brush the 3rd with melted butter. Spread poppy seed filling over it, and smooth into an even layer. Spread two sheets of phyllo dough over poppy seed filling and brush with melted butter. Spread cheese mixture over it and smooth the top into and even layer. Stack 2 sheets of phyllo dough and brush with melted butter. Spread
walnut mixture and smooth the top into an even layer. Stack 2 sheets of phyllo dough and brush with melted butter. Using your hands squeeze liquid from apple filling and the spread it over the phyllo dough. Smooth the top and stack with three sheets of phyllo dough. Brush with melted butter. - Bake around 40 minutes, or until top sheet of phyllo dough is golden brown (depending on your oven, check it at 30 minutes). Leave it to cool a bit, dust with icing sugar, cut into squares and serve warm with glass of milk. It is delicious served cold, too.
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