Polish National Dishes

Mazurek wielkanocny: Polish Easter walnut tart

Mazurek wielkanocny is a family of Polish Easter pastries, not one fixed recipe. This home version follows the walnut style associated with Kaniewo in Kujawy: a thin, crisp shortcrust base holds a thick walnut cream, finished with walnuts, almonds, and raisins. The pastry and filling are cooked separately, then brought together after the crust has cooled.

Polish National Dishes
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A wide view of „Mazurek wielkanocny: Polish Easter walnut tart“ arranged on a table for serving.
Yield 1 flat 32 × 22 cm mazurek, cut into 16 small portions of about 100 g each
Active preparation 60 minutes
Oven time 25 minutes
Chilling, cooling, and setting 250 minutes
Ingredients ↓
About mazurek wielkanocny

Mazurek wielkanocny: Polish Easter walnut tart

Mazurek is a low, sweet Polish pastry closely associated with Easter. Its name points toward Mazovia, but the cake has become part of Easter tables across Poland. Historical and modern versions vary: a thin shortcrust base may carry walnut, chocolate, almond, kajmak, fruit, or jam fillings, with decorations of nuts, dried or candied fruit, icing, or pastry.

This edition focuses on the walnut mazurek associated with Kaniewo in Kujawy. Its defining contrast is a crisp, golden base under a dense, sweet walnut cream, decorated with nuts and dried fruit. The pastry and topping are made separately so the shell can stay crisp and the filling can cook evenly before it is spread over the base.

The walnut cream contains egg yolks and dairy, so it is cooked while stirring and checked with a thermometer before it touches the baked shell. Chill the finished pastry promptly and serve small pieces; the buttery crust, sweet filling, and nuts make it rich.

Tips for success

Tips for success

  • Keep the pastry ingredients cold and stop mixing as soon as the dough holds together; overworking makes the base tough.
  • Roll the pastry between parchment sheets to avoid adding extra flour, which can dry the crust.
  • Build a low, even border so the walnut cream stays on the base without turning the tart into a deep pie.
  • Stir the walnut cream constantly, especially across the bottom and corners of the pan, to prevent scorching.
  • Use the thermometer in several spots through the thick filling and make sure each reading is at least 71.1 °C before removing it from the heat.
  • Cool the shell completely before filling, and refrigerate the finished cake long enough for clean slices.
Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 375 g all-purpose wheat flour
  • 140 g powdered sugar
  • 200 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 13 g cold lard
  • 3 l arge egg yolks, about 55 g
  • 6 g baking powder
  • 2 g fine salt
  • 230 g walnuts, finely ground
  • 100 g powdered sugar
  • 4 l arge egg yolks, about 72 g
  • 300 ml 18% sweet cream
  • 15 g fine dry breadcrumbs
  • 1 ml almond extract
  • 35 g walnut halves
  • 30 g raisins
  • 30 g blanched almonds
Method

Method

Directions

  1. Make and chill the pastry.Stir the flour, baking powder, salt, and powdered sugar together. Cut in the cold butter and lard until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the yolks and mix just until the dough comes together; do not knead it smooth. Shape into a flat rectangle, wrap, and refrigerate for 60 minutes.

  2. Line the pan.Heat the oven to 180 °C conventional or 170 °C fan. Roll the dough between sheets of parchment to about 5 mm thick and fit it into the 32 × 22 cm pan. Trim the edges and use the scraps to build a low border. Dock the center well with a fork, then refrigerate the lined shell for 20 minutes.

  3. Bake and cool the shell.Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the base is evenly golden and dry in the center. Cool it completely on a wire rack before filling.

  4. Cook the walnut cream.Whisk the yolks and powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in the ground walnuts, cream, and breadcrumbs. Transfer to a heavy saucepan and heat gently, stirring continuously and scraping the base and corners. Cook until the mixture thickens and reaches at least 71.1 °C throughout; do not let it scorch or boil hard. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract.

  5. Fill and decorate.Spread the warm walnut cream evenly over the cooled shell. Arrange the walnut halves, raisins, and almonds on top in a simple Easter pattern, keeping the decoration on the surface.

  6. Chill until set.Let the cake cool until heavy steam has stopped rising. Cover and refrigerate within two hours at 4 °C or below for at least 2 hours, until the walnut cream is set.

  7. Cut and serve.Cut into 16 small portions with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts. Keep the remaining mazurek covered in the refrigerator.

Tips for success

Practical

Tips for success

Keep the pastry ingredients cold and stop mixing as soon as the dough holds together; overworking makes the base tough.

Tips for success

Roll the pastry between parchment sheets to avoid adding extra flour, which can dry the crust.

Tips for success

Build a low, even border so the walnut cream stays on the base without turning the tart into a deep pie.

Tips for success

Stir the walnut cream constantly, especially across the bottom and corners of the pan, to prevent scorching.

Tips for success

Use the thermometer in several spots through the thick filling and make sure each reading is at least 71.1 °C before removing it from the heat.

Tips for success

Cool the shell completely before filling, and refrigerate the finished cake long enough for clean slices.

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

  • The pastry cracks while rollingLet it sit briefly at a cool room temperature until pliable, then press the crack together; do not knead in unmeasured water.
  • The base puffs in the ovenDock the center more evenly next time and press it down gently while it is still hot, using a clean spatula.
  • The walnut cream catches on the panLower the heat and keep scraping the base and corners with a heatproof spatula; transfer it to a clean saucepan if any browned specks appear.
  • The cream looks loose after chillingRefrigerate it for the full setting time. Next time, cook while stirring until it thickens and coats a spoon as well as meeting the temperature target.
  • The pastry crumbles when cutChill it longer and wipe a sharp knife between each cut.
Nutrition per portion

Nutrition per portion

  • Approximate values for one-sixteenth of the finished mazurek: 420 kcal, 52 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 24 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 2 g fiber, and 110 mg sodium. These rounded estimates use generic ingredient data; the flour, dairy fat level, walnuts, decorations, and portion size change the result. They are not a laboratory analysis.
Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Serving, storage, and make-ahead: Serve small pieces chilled or close to room temperature with coffee or tea. The walnut aroma is pronounced, so modest slices work well after an Easter meal. Let only the portion being served warm slightly; keep the rest chilled.

Serving, storage, and make-ahead: The pastry shell can be baked and cooled earlier the same day, then wrapped once fully cool. The walnut cream can also be cooked ahead, cooled promptly, covered, and refrigerated; warm it gently while stirring until spreadable, then check it reaches 71.1 °C before spreading. Once filled, cover the mazurek and refrigerate it within two hours at 4 °C or below. Use within 3–4 days.

Serving, storage, and make-ahead: The finished cake does not need reheating. For the best texture, freeze individual portions tightly wrapped for up to one month and thaw them covered in the refrigerator; the dried-fruit decoration may soften. Lard can be replaced gram-for-gram with unsalted butter, although the crust will be a little less crisp. This walnut version cannot become nut-free by omitting walnuts because walnuts are its defining filling; choose a separate jam or chocolate mazurek for that need and prevent cross-contact.

Contains wheat/gluten, milk, egg, walnuts, and almonds. Keep egg yolks and cream refrigerated, and keep raw egg away from ready-to-eat ingredients. Cook the complete walnut cream with continuous stirring to at least 71.1 °C throughout; do not taste it before cooking. Cool the shell and filling promptly, cover the assembled cake, and refrigerate it within two hours at 4 °C or below. Use within 3–4 days and do not leave the dairy-and-egg filling at room temperature for more than two hours.

Bring only the portion being served toward room temperature; return the rest to the refrigerator promptly.

Keep the covered mazurek refrigerated and separate from raw ingredients.

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