Best Saladooha Russian Dried Fruit Pudding Recipes

MAZURKA - RUSSIAN DRIED FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare the cooking pan (about 9" in diameter). First spread vegetable oil over the bottom and the sides with your fingers or a brush. Then, pour the farina into the oiled pan and tilt it over the sink until there is a thin coat of farina covering all surfaces that the dough will touch. This makes the cake easy to remove and gives it an extra bit of texture.
• 2. Chop the nuts into bits. When working with walnuts, I usually just break them with my hands. Slice the dried fruit. Choose the size that fits your taste. Set the cutting board aside.
• 3. Combine eggs, sugar and any flavorings you have in a large bowl. Use a mixer to beat to this mixture until the sugar dissolves (may take a couple of minutes for dark brown sugar), or almost dissolves.
• 4. Add 1/3 of the flour, mix it in with the mixer. Repeat twice until all flour is integrated. The dough will be slightly runny, but rather viscous. It should pour, but not splatter.
• 5. With a wooden spoon, thoroughly mix the nuts and dried fruit into the dough. The dough will be very chunky. That's normal.
• 6. Now for the fun part. Put the baking soda (not powder!) into a small dry cup. Hold a teaspoon ready in your hand as you squeeze lemon over the cup. Don't worry about the exact amount of the lemon juice. You need just enough for all of the soda to react with it. As the soda bubbles vigorously, mix it with the spoon so that all of it reacts with the juice. These are the bubbles that will cause the cake to rise. From now on your actions should be swift: the sooner you put the dough into the oven, the more time these bubbles have to raise your dough. So, carefully fold the bubbles into the dough. Transfer the dough into the prepared pan. With a spoon, spread the dough so that it evenly covers the bottom of the pan.
• 7. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes. To test for readiness, insert a dry wooden chopstick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean - the cake is done. Let the cake cool before cutting.

DRIED FRUIT PUDDING

Steps:

• Core and chop the pears and apples, if needed. Chop the apricots and prunes roughly.
• Stew the fruit in the juice with the spices on low heat for 30 minutes. Drain and reserve the liquid. Set aside 1/3 cup fruit.
• Measure the liquid and add more juice if needed to make 2 cups.
• Stir the tapioca into the juice in a saucepan. Let sit for 5 minutes. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes while stirring constantly. Take off heat and let sit for 20 minutes. Combine with fruit, except the 1/3 cup, and chill.
• Whip the cream with the vanilla and whatever you are using for sweetening until stiff but not dry.
• In a large clear glass bowl, or in individual glasses, layer the chilled fruit pudding and the whipped cream, ending with the whipped cream. Decorate with reserved fruit.

RUSSIAN STYLE MIXED/DRIED FRUIT STRUDEL

Steps:

• Put the flour in the bowl of an electric mixer. On slow, mix in the butter until it looks like very coarse meal. Mix in the sour cream until it masses together to form a dough. Pat into a rectangle, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
• Filling:
• Coarsely chop the prunes. In a small saucepan, cover the prunes with the prune juice and sugar. Bring to a simmer for 3 minutes. Place in a food processor with the vanilla and puree to a paste. Mix in the raisins, cherries and walnuts. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a square 16 by16 inches. Place the filling in a log running along the bottom and roll up. Pinch the ends closed. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, seam side down. Mix the egg and water together to form a wash and paint the strudel. Bake for 30 minutes until crisp and golden. Let cool on a rack, then slice into 1 inch pieces.
• This was my Grandma Bessie's baking specialty. I haven't had this since she died but my brothers and I talk of it often, trying to re-construct what was in it. I re-discovered it at the Golden Key in Brighton Beach. Can be made on a rainy day with items in the pantry

SALADOOHA (RUSSIAN DRIED FRUIT PUDDING)

Steps:

• In a medium size saucepan, add 1 cup of water and cranberries and cook until tender; mash and set aside.
• In a large cooking pot, add 12 cups of water, apricots, prunes, raisins, apples, pears, peaches, dates; bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour or until all fruit is soft; stirring occasionally.
• Add sugar and mashed cranberries and cook for 5 minutes.
• Remove 1 cup of liquid from cooked fruit and stir in all-purpose and whole wheat flour to form a smooth, thin paste.
• Add flour paste to cooking pot and stir until well blended.
• Reduce heat to low and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently so the fruit does not settle to the bottom of the pot.
• Remove from heat and let cool before serving.
• Serve fruit pudding as is.
• If desired, you can serve with ice-cream or whipping cream.