Ingredients
For the dough:
500 gr flour
260 ml warm milk
120 gr sugar
70 ml oil
7 gr instant dry yeast
15 gr vanilla sugar
zest from half a lemon or half an orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch of salt
1 small egg for eggwash
For the syrup:
200 ml water
100 gr sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
juice from half a lemon
For decoration:
150 gr honey
100 gr ground walnuts
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
Servings: 10-14 mucenici (depending on the size you want them. I've made 14.)
Instructions for the dough:
1. In a small bowl, add milk, vanilla sugar, instant yeast and 2-3 tablespoon flour. Mix and let it sit for 10 minutes until bubbly.
2. In a large bowl, add the rest of the flour, sugar, oil, lemon zest and vanilla extract.
3. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and mix until becomes a soft dough. Add the salt and continue mixing.
4. On a floured surface, knead vigorously by hand for about 10 minutes.
5. Cover the dough with a clean towel and leave it to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours.
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6. Preheat the oven at 180 C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
7. Divide the dough into equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a rope and shape de 8 figures.
8. Transfer the mucenici in the prepared baking pan. Let the dough rise once again for 10-15 minutes. Brush them with eggwash before baking.
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the mucenici are golden brown.
10. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup. In a saucepan, add the water, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice and simmer until all the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let it cool.
11. Brush the hot mucenici with syrup each side.
12. Brush them once again with honey.
13. Sprinkle ground walnuts on top. (I used a combination of ground walnuts and cinnamon.)
14. Enjoy!
*Keep them covered in an airtight container.
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