Romanian Mucenici Recipe

Yeast pastry:

1. 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
2. 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
3. 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:

1. 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
2. Roast the ground walnuts in a pan for a few minutes until fragrant. Set aside.100 g ground walnuts/ ¾ cup
3. Mix the honey and the lukewarm water in another small bowl.3 tablespoons clear honey + 3 tablespoons lukewarm water

Shape and bake mucenici:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. 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.”
3. 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
4. Bake each tray for about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your oven. The pastries should be golden brown.
5. 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:

1. 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.
2. Serve warm or at room temperature (Note 3).