Prekmurje Layer Cake (Prekmurska gibanica) — Slovenian Festival Layer Pastry

• 250 gall-purpose flour
• 125 gcold unsalted butter (cut into 1 cm cubes)
• 25 ggranulated sugar
• 2 gfine sea salt
• 1egg yolk
• 30 gsour cream
• 200 mllukewarm water
• 30 mlneutral oil
• 5 mlwhite wine vinegar
• 200 gground poppy seeds
• 180 mlwhole milk
• 8 gvanilla sugar
• 1 tsplemon zest
• 500 gskuta or well-drained farmer's cheese (Slovenian curd cheese is ideal)
• 2eggs
• 80 graisins
• 45 mldark rum
• 250 gground walnuts
• 2 tspground cinnamon
• 800 gtart apples (peeled, cored, and coarsely grated)
• 50 gfine dry breadcrumbs
• 30 mllemon juice
• 120 gunsalted butter (melted, for brushing layers)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the shortcrust base by rubbing 125 g cold butter into 250 g flour with 25 g sugar and 2 g salt until the mixture looks sandy. Mix in 1 egg yolk and 30 g sour cream, press the dough into a flat rectangle, wrap it, and chill it for 45 minutes.

2. 2

   Make the stretched dough by mixing 350 g flour, 200 ml lukewarm water, 30 ml oil, 5 ml vinegar, and 5 g salt until a soft dough forms. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, coat lightly with oil, cover, and rest for 45 minutes so it can stretch thinly without tearing.

3. 3

   Prepare the poppy filling by bringing 180 ml milk, 70 g sugar, and 8 g vanilla sugar to a simmer, then stirring in 200 g ground poppy seeds and 1 tsp lemon zest. Cook for 2 minutes until thick and spreadable, then cool it completely before assembly.

4. 4

   Soak 80 g raisins in 45 ml dark rum for 20 minutes, then drain any excess liquid. For the skuta filling, mix 500 g skuta, 2 eggs, 80 g sugar, 100 g sour cream, 8 g vanilla sugar, 1 g salt, and the soaked raisins until creamy but still slightly textured.

5. 5

   Prepare the walnut filling by pouring 120 ml hot milk over 250 g ground walnuts, 70 g sugar, and 2 tsp cinnamon. Stir until the mixture holds together as a moist paste, then let it cool so it does not soften the pastry layers too quickly.

6. 6

   Prepare the apple filling by tossing 800 g grated tart apples with 60 g sugar, 50 g breadcrumbs, 2 tsp cinnamon, and 30 ml lemon juice. Squeeze only if the apples are extremely watery, because Prekmurska gibanica should remain moist but not soggy.

7. 7

   Heat the oven to 180°C and butter a 23 x 33 cm baking pan with 10 g butter. Roll the chilled shortcrust dough to fit the base of the pan, lay it inside, and prick it all over with a fork to prevent bubbling.

8. 8

   On a lightly floured cloth, stretch the rested dough into very thin sheets and cut it into 9 rectangles that fit the pan. Keep the sheets covered with a clean towel while working, because the technique for prekmurska gibanica depends on flexible, paper-thin layers.

9. 9

   Place 1 stretched dough sheet over the shortcrust base and brush it with melted butter. Spread half of the poppy filling evenly over the sheet, keeping the edges neat so the baked slices show clear, distinct layers.

10. 10

    Cover the poppy filling with another stretched dough sheet and brush it with butter. Spread half of the skuta filling over it, then repeat with a buttered sheet, half of the walnut filling, another buttered sheet, and half of the apple filling.

11. 11

    Repeat the sequence once more in the traditional order: poppy seed, skuta, walnut, and apple, always separating each filling with a buttered stretched dough sheet. Finish with the ninth dough sheet on top and brush the surface with the remaining melted butter.

12. 12

    Whisk 300 g sour cream, 2 eggs, and 40 g sugar until smooth, then pour this topping evenly over the assembled cake. Tilt the pan gently so the cream reaches the corners, but do not press down because compacting the layers makes the finished pastry heavy.

13. 13

    Bake for 65 to 75 minutes until the top is deep golden and the center is set when gently shaken. If the top browns before the filling is set, cover it loosely with foil for the final 15 minutes of baking.

14. 14

    Cool the cake in the pan for at least 2 hours before slicing, because the warm fillings need time to settle into clean layers. Cut into 16 squares with a sharp knife and wipe the blade between cuts for the classic Prekmurje presentation.