Prekmurska Gibanica 🍰 Slovenian Layered Pastry 🇸🇮

Description

Buttery phyllo stacked with four classic layers—poppy seed, walnut, curd cheese, and cinnamon apples—baked until crisp on top and custardy within. A celebrated specialty of Slovenia’s Prekmurje region. 🍎🌰

Hook: Four bowls, one pan—museum-worthy slice with bakery texture at home. ⚡

Ingredients

• 📜 Pastry & soak
• 📜 Phyllo sheets: 450–500 g (16–20 sheets / 16–18 oz)
• 🧈 Unsalted butter, melted (for brushing): 140 g (⅔ cup / 5 oz)
• 🥛 Sour cream: 200 g (¾ cup / 7 oz)
• 🥚 Eggs (for cream-egg soak): 2 large (≈100 g / 3.5 oz)
• 🍬 Sugar (for soak): 15 g (1 tbsp / 0.5 oz)
• 🌑 Poppy layer
• 🌑 Finely ground poppy seeds: 200 g (1¾ cups / 7.1 oz)
• 🥛 Milk: 240 ml (1 cup / 8 fl oz)
• 🍬 Sugar: 60 g (¼ cup / 2.1 oz)
• 🍋 Lemon zest: 1 tsp (2 g / 0.07 oz)
• 🌿 Vanilla extract: ½ tsp (2.5 ml / 0.08 fl oz)
• 🌰 Walnut layer
• 🌰 Walnuts, finely ground: 200 g (2 cups / 7.1 oz)
• 🍬 Sugar: 60 g (¼ cup / 2.1 oz)
• 🍇 Raisins, soaked & drained: 60 g (½ cup / 2.1 oz)
• 🥃 Dark rum (or milk): 30 ml (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• 🍎 Apple layer
• 🍎 Tart apples, coarsely grated & squeezed: 600 g (5 cups / 21 oz)
• 🍬 Sugar: 40 g (3 tbsp / 1.4 oz)
• 🌿 Ground cinnamon: 1 tsp (2 g / 0.07 oz)
• 🍋 Lemon juice: 10 ml (2 tsp / 0.34 fl oz)
• 🧀 Curd layer
• 🧀 Quark/curd cheese or well-drained ricotta: 500 g (2 cups / 17.6 oz)
• 🍬 Sugar: 40 g (3 tbsp / 1.4 oz)
• 🥚 Egg: 1 large (50 g / 1.8 oz)
• 🌿 Vanilla extract: ½ tsp (2.5 ml / 0.08 fl oz)
• 🧂 Pinch of salt: 0.5 g (⅛ tsp / 0.02 oz)
• To finish
• 🍞 Dry breadcrumbs (to keep layers crisp): 40 g (½ cup / 1.4 oz)
• 🍬 Powdered sugar, for dusting: as needed

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Heat & pan: Preheat to 180°C / 350°F. Line and butter a 23×33 cm / 9×13 in pan. Whisk 🥛 sour cream + 🥚 eggs + 🍬 sugar for the soak.
2. 2️⃣ Poppy layer: Simmer 🌑 poppy with 🥛 milk + 🍬 sugar 3–4 min until thick; stir in 🍋 zest & 🌿 vanilla. Cool.
3. 3️⃣ Walnut layer: Mix 🌰 walnuts, 🍬 sugar, 🍇 raisins, and 🥃 rum.
4. 4️⃣ Apple layer: Toss 🍎 apples with 🍬 sugar, 🌿 cinnamon, 🍋 lemon; squeeze lightly again.
5. 5️⃣ Curd layer: Stir 🧀 curd with 🍬 sugar, 🥚 egg, 🌿 vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
6. 6️⃣ Build (bottom → top):
7. Brush pan with 🧈 butter. Lay 2 sheets 📜 phyllo, brushing each. Sprinkle 1 tbsp 🍞 crumbs.
8. Spread ½ poppy, brush with a few spoons of soak.
9. Add 2 sheets (butter each) → ½ walnut → a spoon or two of soak.
10. 2 sheets → ½ curd → soak.
11. 2 sheets → ½ apple → soak.
12. Repeat the four layers (poppy, walnut, curd, apple) with the remaining halves, always buttering sheets lightly and flicking a little soak between.
13. Finish with 2 sheets well buttered; pour the remaining soak evenly over the top.
14. 7️⃣ Bake: Bake 45–55 min until deep golden and set. Rest 30 min, then dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temp.

Total Time

🕒 Prep: 35–40 min
🔥 Cook: 45–55 min
⏳ Total: 1 h 25–35 min

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