Andrut is a traditional Polish dessert made with layers of crispy wafer, delicious fillings, and topped with chocolate.
Big thanks to my friend Roxana for this recipe. Make sure to check her out on Facebook at The Red Eye Baker or here on JavaCupcake for more of her fabulousness!
Happy spring everyone!
So I’ve decided as I navigate and learn the blogging world that one of my goals is to recreate and learn as many of my mom’s recipes as possible.
One of the challenges will be to get the proper proportions because EVERY recipe my mom has is tucked away in her head.
When we ask her “Mom, how do I make…”, her response is “Oh, you know, a little of this, a pinch of that” or “Oh, it depends on what I have on hand…”
Needless to say it will be fun, but more importantly I will now have some yummy family recipes recorded for myself, my family, and all of you too!
What is Andrut?
I know what you’re thinking… “Roxana, what the heck is andrut?”
Andrut (pronounced ahn-droot) is a traditional Polish dessert that’s made using a crispy wafer and a filling.
The fillings vary, but typically are made using an egg yolk base.
My version is the way my mom has been making it my whole life, chocolate and almond. It’s delicious.
Recipe Origin
This is my mom’s recipe, but with a little of my own spin. I used my experience in making different buttercreams to create the recipe.
Basically, I made a french buttercream (using the Swiss method) and I used dark chocolate cocoa powder.
Surprisingly my mom usually has regular cocoa on hand even though she is a lover of dark chocolate.
Oh, and how can I forget… I drizzled the finished andrut with chocolate!
That’s a little nugget my mom dropped on me when I was discussing the recipe with her. She told me she didn’t make it that way because there were enough calories in the dessert already.
WHAT?!!? Calories, schmalories I say.
This is not a calorie counting kind of deal. It’s more a get-out-the-stretchy-Thanksgiving-pants pronto and ENDULGE! 😉
Rich, dark chocolate and almond buttercream, complimented beautifully by the light crispy wafer. It’s hard to eat just one!
Smacznego, Enjoy!!
xox Roxana- The Red Eye Baker
*The wafers can be found at your local European/International Market. Don’t have one in your area? You can do a Google search for them or I did find a listing here for round ones like I used.
BONUS: 10 Polish Desserts
- Pierogi: these tasty dumplings are filled with sweet, gooey goodness like fruit, cream cheese, or chocolate.
- Szarlotka: a classic apple pie with a rich, buttery crust and cinnamon-spiced filling.
- Paczki: deep-fried doughnuts filled with fruit preserves or cream.
- Kremówka: a heavenly custard and cream-filled puff pastry.
- Kremówka z serkiem waniliowym: a vanilla-flavored cream cheese version of the classic Kremówka.
- Babka: a sweet, yeasted cake with a hint of lemon zest and a swirl of chocolate or fruit.
- Chrusciki: delicate, crispy, deep-fried pastry twists dusted with powdered sugar.
- Placek po węgiersku: a Hungarian-inspired layered cake with poppy seeds and a thick, rich custard filling.
- Beza: a light and airy meringue-based dessert topped with fruit or whipped cream.
- Sernik: a classic Polish cheesecake with a creamy, tangy filling and a crisp, buttery crust.
Andrut- A Traditional Polish Dessert
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 sticks (1 1/2 c) butter, room temperature
- 1/4 c dark chocolate cocoa powder
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 - 12.5 oz can almond cake & pastry filling
- package of wafers (wafle tortowe)
- 1 c semi sweet chocolate chips, melted (optional)
Instructions
- In a double boiler combine the egg yolks, sugar, and salt using a whisk.
- Place the double boiler over a pot of simmering water and continue whisking the egg yolks until all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch, about 3 minutes.
- Transfer the egg yolk mixture to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat on high until the egg yolk mixtures cools and is a very pale yellow color.
- Switch to the paddle attachment and cut in the butter one stick at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the cocoa powder, then add the vanilla and mix on high until light and fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the almond filling and beat on medium/medium high speed until all the filling is incorporated.
ASSEMBLY
- Place one wafer on a sheet of foil or plastic wrap.
- Spread an even layer of filling on the first wafer being sure to go all the way to the edges then cover with another wafer and repeat until all your filling is gone. (I used a 10" round wafer and ended up with 6 wafers and 5 layers of filling.)
- Once the andrut is completely assembled gently push down on the top layer and then using an offset spatula smooth out the buttercream that comes out around the edges.
- Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Once the andrut is set, place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.
- Heat on high for 45 seconds, remove from microwave and stir with a spatula. Microwave for an additional 15 - 30 seconds and stir until all the chocolate is melted.
- Unwrap the cold andrut and place it on a cutting board, cut into servings and place them on a tray or cookie sheet.
- Transfer the melted chocolate to a ziplock bag and snip one corner. Drizzle the chocolate all over the andrut servings using swirl motions or zig-zag, whatever strikes your fancy.
- Place the andrut back in the fridge to set the drizzled chocolate.
- Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
What a beautiful dessert!
Thank you Julie!! 🙂
This brings back so many memories. My Mom also cooks like your Mom!! Thank you for a wonderful post!!
Thank you so much! Good to know there are plenty of kindred spirits out there that understand. 😉
I need to admit you will be fairly a talented writer. I surely cannot write at your level. In reality, it really is not gereanlly that I say issues like this, but I in fact learned some useful details from your post.
I give, there is mention of the filling after following the directions for the chocolate, to spread on the wafers. There is no mention of the almond filling. Should I assume that you alternate layers spreading the chocolate, then the almond?
oops, just reread again. I didn’t incorporate the almond filling and used it on its own. Will it still work?
Sure! If you go to the Polish deli they’ll have different types of fillings. This is just how my mom made it. 😉
Hi David,
In step 6 of the recipe instructions you add the almond filling to the chocolate buttercream, but you can certainly alernate it if you wish.
Enjoy!
Hi there! I really want to make this & just ordered the wafers. However, what is almond filling?
Thanks!
Hi Julie,
I typically find almond filling in the baking aisle at the grocery store. It’s usually by all the pie/fruit fillings and it comes in a can. Hope this helps. Enjoy and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Thanks! I ordered some online.
One other question, does it hold overnight well? I want to make it for a party on Saturday, but will it be ok if I make it Friday evening?
Yes, it will hold great overnight in the refrigerator! It actually benefits from getting chilled a bit come to think of it. 😉
Could you use the Italian cookie pizzelle…….a round wafer crisp?
Hi Chris,
I imagine that this filling would be tasty with those as well. Of course the the texture and flavor profile would differ from the original because the pizzelles do have a stronger flavor on their own than the wafers do. It might be cool to just fill them making a sandwich cookie and then dipping halfway in melted chocolate. Let me know if you try it with the pizelles. ????
That’s more than seilebsn! That’s a great post!
What should the texture of the wafers be when you cut the cake? Ours turned to a very chewy texture, like a very firm crepe.
Where is recipe for Pope’s Cake?
Can this sit and set overnight?
I was looking forward to a wafer cake recipe but this is just an assembly using processed ingredients. Living in Europe I cook from scratch.
If I dont want the almond flavor – can I just leave it out of the buttercream? or do I need to replace it with something??
I’d suggest replacing it with vanilla extract or another flavor similar.
Thanks For Sharing this Amazing Recipe. My Family Loved It. I will be sharing this Recipe with my Friends. Hope They will like it.
Any suggestions for me considering I have 8 oz. Of almond paste.
Thanks!