Mucenici: These Moldavian or Romanian pastries are soaked in syrup and topped with honey and walnuts; they are soft, fluffy, and really addictive.
You will not be able to stop eating these Mucenici or Romanian pastries. Just one more, just one more until you are so full, you won't be able to move anymore.
They are so good, so worth your time, and so worth all the calories they contain. The first time I made them, there were about 40 of them on two large baking sheets.
They are not particularly large, but still, I thought there was no way we could possibly eat them all between four adults and three kids. I was already thinking about the possibility of freezing them later, but I was so wrong: there were only three of them left in the evening.
Try more amazing Romanian sweet pastries, such as Romanian Branzoaice or Cozonac.
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What are Mucenici?
Moldavian or Romanian pastries made with yeast, soaked in syrup, glazed with honey, and sprinkled with walnuts are some of the best pastries ever!
This recipe is a famous Moldavian yeast pastry, traditionally baked on March 9th, to celebrate the 40 martyrs (mucenici) of Sevastia. These martyrs were Christian Roman soldiers who were sentenced to death and left to die in the freezing cold for refusing to renounce their faith.
Recipe ingredients
Yeast dough: All-purpose flour, sugar, milk, salt and yeast. You can use fresh yeast, about 60 g/ 2 oz of fresh yeast OR 4 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast or instant dry yeast.
Topping: Water, sugar, honey and walnuts. The rum aroma is optional but nice. Some like it, some don't. More honey and walnuts? Check out this Walnut Cake with Candied Walnuts or these Oat Honey Banana Muffins.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make mucenici?
- Step #1: Make the yeast dough and let it rise.
- Step #2: Knead it briefly and divide it into 40 small balls.
- Step #3: Roll each ball into a 30 cm/ 12 inches long dough “rope”.
- Step #4: Shape the rope into a number 8.
- Step #5: Place them carefully on a baking sheet and brush them with egg-milk mixture. Form the second batch while the first one is baking.
- Step #6: Make the sugar syrup and roast the walnuts; they should be ready by the time the first batch of mucenici is baked. It's best to make them while the dough is rising.
- Step #7: Brush the pastries with sugar syrup and honey mixture. Sprinkle them with walnuts.
Tips for making Mucenici
Important Tip: Use a digital kitchen scale to measure ingredients, especially flour, as cup measurements can be unreliable. This recipe requires a lot of flour, so precise measurements are crucial.
You can easily halve the recipe.
To make the yeast dough without a stand mixer, place the flour in a large bowl, proof the yeast on top, add the other ingredients, and mix well with a spoon. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it’s elastic and smooth. A stand mixer makes this easier, but it’s not necessary.
Bake the mucenici in two batches. While the first batch is baking, form the second batch of pastries.
How to store?
Like all yeast pastries, mucenici are best served fresh on the day they’re baked. They can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.
Wrap any leftovers in clean kitchen towels, and they’ll be ok until the next day.
Romanian Mucenici Recipe
Equipment
- 2 Baking sheets
Ingredients
Yeast pastry (Note 1):
- 60 g fresh yeast 2 oz OR 4 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast
- 400-430 ml lukewarm milk about 1 ¾ cups
- 200 g granulated sugar 1 cup
- 1 kg all-purpose flour 8 ⅓ cups
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Egg wash:
- 1 egg small
- 2 tablespoons milk
Syrup and topping:
- 100 g ground walnuts ¾ cup
- 200 ml water scant 1 cup
- 100 g granulated sugar ½ cup
- ½ teaspoon rum aroma more to taste
- 3 tablespoons clear honey
- 3 tablespoons lukewarm water
Instructions
Yeast pastry:
- Proof yeast: In a small bowl mix the crumbled yeast, 50 ml/ about ¼ cup of the lukewarm milk, 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Sprinkle lightly with 1 tablespoon of the flour and let stand for 10-15 minutes.60 g fresh yeast/ 2 oz
- Make the dough: Mix the rest of the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Pour the yeast mixture on top and add most of the remaining lukewarm milk. Keep about ¼ cup of the milk aside and only add it if necessary when kneading. The dough should be smooth and elastic. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Turn the dough on the working surface and knead it with the hands for 2 or 3 minutes more.1 kg all-purpose flour/ 8 ⅓ cups + 200 g granulated sugar/ 1 cup + 400-430 ml lukewarm milk/ about 1 ¾ cups + ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Let rise: Place into a bowl, cover with a clean kitchen cloth, and let rise for about 40-45 minutes in a warm place.
Make syrup and topping:
- The syrup and the roasted walnuts should be ready when the mucenici are baked. Place the water and the sugar into a small pot, bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the rum aroma.200 ml water/ scant 1 cup + 100 g granulated sugar/ ½ cup + ½ teaspoon rum aroma
- Roast the ground walnuts in a pan for a few minutes until fragrant. Set aside.100 g ground walnuts/ ¾ cup
- Mix the honey and the lukewarm water in another small bowl.3 tablespoons clear honey + 3 tablespoons lukewarm water
Shape and bake mucenici:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape mucenici: Knead the dough briefly and divide it into 40 small balls. Roll each ball into a 30 cm/ 12 inches long dough “rope.” Form a number 8 shape out of this “rope.”
- Egg brush: Mix egg and milk in a small bowl. Brush the mucenici with this mixture and bake the first tray in the preheated oven while you form the second batch of pastries.1 egg + 2 tablespoons milk
- Bake each tray for about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your oven. The pastries should be golden brown.
- Second mucenici batch: Remove the first tray of pastries from the oven. Brush the second batch of the pastries with the egg-milk mixture and place it in the oven.
Top the pastries:
- Top the mucenici: Generously brush the mucenici with half of the sugar syrup. Brush them with half of the honey mixture as well, and sprinkle them with half of the roasted walnuts. Repeat with the second tray of yeast pastries.
- Serve warm or at room temperature (Note 3).
Notes
- Measurements: I always recommend using a digital kitchen scale in baking (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab); it guarantees the best results. This recipe was not tested using cups.
- Yeast: Proof instant dry yeast the same way. If using instant dry yeast, just mix the same amount with the flour, sugar, and salt before adding the milk.
- Serve: Although best when served on the day you baked them, they are still good the next day. Keep them well wrapped in a clean kitchen cloth.
grace says
oh my goodness, these look amazing! what an interesting pastry full of delicious flavors--great post!
Laura Dembowski says
Adina, you make the most interesting recipes! I have never heard of these before, but I so want to try them.
Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
Homemade bread is the best. I have never heard about MUCENICI before, but they look and sound wonderful. They are really hard to resist, so I would have to give them a go sometime real soon.
Kathy@beyond the chicken coop says
I love baking all kinds of breads and this one is I will need to try! It sounds just wonderful...especially the honey and walnut topping!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
I can totally see why I wouldn't be able to stop eating these after one bite - they look SO good, especially when topped with honey and walnuts! YUM!!
Ritu Ahuja says
Wow!! this looks delicious dear. These pastries I have to try out soon. Love it. Yum Yum 🙂
Anca says
My mother used to make these on 9th March. As I moved from Romania, I'm not making them every year. It's after Women's Day and I tend to forget about it. I liked them a lot though.
KR says
Sry. I do not comment Your recipe ( again :)) but this background story. I knew that Moldavia was cut off from Romania, but I did not know that this area was bigger and story was more complicated. Now I googled and know more...
Thank you. Your posts remind me my background and childhood:)
And recipes are great 🙂 🙂 🙂
Kate @ Framed Cooks says
These DEFINITELY look like they are worth every single calorie! And loved the insight into Moldavia! 🙂
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Sweet soft yeast dough with syrup nutty topping...these would be a hit in our home too!