A coiled phyllo pastry filled with sweet grated pumpkin, walnuts, cinnamon, and sugar, baked until crispy and soaked in warm syrup. A beloved Bulgarian autumn and Christmas Eve dessert.
Nutrition & Info
Allergen Warnings
Equipment Needed
Presentation Guide
Instructions
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1
Grate raw pumpkin on the coarse side of a box grater. Mix with sugar, crushed walnuts, and cinnamon.
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2
Lay out one sheet of phyllo dough and brush with sunflower oil. Place a second sheet on top and brush again.
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3
Spread a line of pumpkin filling along one edge of the phyllo sheets. Roll into a long log, keeping it loose.
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4
Coil the log into a spiral in a greased baking pan. Repeat with remaining phyllo and filling, continuing the spiral.
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5
Brush the top generously with oil. Bake at 180C for 35-40 minutes until golden and crispy.
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6
Make a light syrup by boiling water with sugar and lemon juice for 5 minutes. Pour warm syrup over the hot pastry. Let it absorb for 30 minutes before serving.
Did You Know?
On Christmas Eve, fortune papers are sometimes hidden inside tikvenik, just like in banitsa, making dessert an exciting moment of the festive meal.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- baking pan
- grater
- pastry brush
Garnishing
powdered sugar, cinnamon
Accompaniments
walnuts, tea
The Story Behind Тиквеник
Tikvenik is one of the essential dishes of the Bulgarian Christmas Eve table, which traditionally features an odd number of meatless dishes. Pumpkins were historically grown in every Bulgarian village garden, and this pastry was the thrifty way to transform a humble ingredient into an elegant sweet. The use of phyllo connects it to the broader Balkan pastry tradition.
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