On All Saints’ Day, we always visited family graves in Lublin. Every year my aunt served powałki, called all-soul breadwhich disappeared from the table until the last crumb. I have been practicing this culinary tradition in my home for several years. Check out the recipe for a sweet version of a delicacy from the Lublin region.
Various myths have arisen related to the Day. First of all, it was believed that on the night from November 1 to November 2, the souls of the deceased visited their loved ones. Bread was not baked then, lest they enter the oven and burn the house.
That’s why the day before, powałki was baked in the Lublin region, then in a savory version. Interestingly, families took them with them to the cemetery and offered them the so-called old beggars, i.e. beggars. They were considered intermediaries between the world of the living and the dead. In exchange for refreshments, they recited the “Eternal rest” prayer, asking for grace for the soul.
Nowadays, All Souls’ bread is still baked in the Lublin region. Nobody takes this delicacy to the cemetery – it is a sweet snack with afternoon coffee. It is worth moving away from classic pastries and preparing a traditional Lublin cake that will surprise your guests.
Ingredients for the cake:
- 500 g of wheat flour;
- 250 ml of milk;
- 100 g of butter;
- 100 g of sugar;
- 25 g of fresh yeast;
- a pinch of salt.
Ingredients for the crumble:
- 150 g of wheat flour;
- 100 g of sugar;
- 100 g butter.
Preparation:
First, I prepare the dough. I heat the butter in a pot, melt it and cool to room temperature. In the second bowl, I heat the milk until it is warm, add sugar and crushed yeast – set aside for 15 minutes.
After this time, I sift the wheat flour into a bowl, add the leaven, previously melted butter, eggs and salt. Knead the dough into a smooth mass, cover it with a cloth and set aside for 1-1.5 hours to double its volume.
At the end of rising I make the crumble. To do this, I combine wheat flour, sugar and butter in a bowl. I rub everything with my fingers until it becomes a loose mass.
I knead the risen dough again and divide it into 8 parts – I make rolls from them. Then I put them in a cake tin lined with baking paper. Finally, I sprinkle the crumble on top and bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for about 40 minutes. – the top must be slightly brown. Before serving, I recommend dusting the buns with powdered sugar.
