What are the two Armenian Christmas pastries?

Gata bread and Perok cake are two popular Armenian Christmas pastries.

Armenian Christmas Pastry; Make 2 Tasty Armenian Pastries!

Among the most important programs carried out on Christmas in Armenia are tables full of special foods.

Christmas in Armenia is a time filled with rich traditions, from exchanging gifts to preparing festive dishes. Among the most beloved of these dishes are Armenian Christmas pastries, known for their sweet, nutty flavor and delicate texture. These delightful delicacies have been enjoyed for centuries during the festive season as a way to bring family and friends together in celebration.

Stay with Cooking County to make delicious Armenian Christmas pastry.

History of Armenian Christmas Pastry

Armenian Christmas Pastries can be found all over the world. They have been around for centuries and are an integral part of Armenian culture and tradition.

These pastries are an integral part of Armenian culture, with recipes and ingredients that have been passed down through generations. These traditional treats bring a unique flavor to the holiday season and serve as a reminder of Armenian heritage.

The traditional recipes for these pastries have their roots in the Middle Ages when Armenians from what is now modern-day Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia would prepare these special dishes for their families and friends during winter celebrations.

Gata Bread

“Gata bread” is an Armenian Christmas pastry prepared in different types, shapes, and sizes depending on the place. It is a layered pastry and one of the types of dry pastry, the dough of which is prepared by pressing on alternating layers with butter or margarine with crushed nuts in between.

Gata ingredients generally include flour, sugar, oil, eggs, yeast, milk, and salt, with a layer of margarine or butter placed between the thinned sheets. When entering the oven and due to the high heat, these layers are gradually differentiated from each other and become puffy and sometimes give the sweets a crunch.

One of the most famous types of this Armenian Christmas Bread contains nuts, which consist of flour, sugar, butter, or margarine, and dry nuts, especially walnuts. According to an old belief, coins were put inside the dough of some Gata bread before baking, and it was said that anyone who finds a coin in the cut of their Gata will be blessed with luck and happiness!

Read this step-by-step recipe to make a delicious Gata Bread

Perok cake

Perok is one of the most delicious sweets that are prepared in rectangular, square, or round shapes and served as an Armenian Christmas pastry. It is a general name for any type of dough that has jam or food inside it. The word per means feast and assembly. You can use any kind of marmalade you like in preparing this pie, but mostly apple or carrot jam is used.

How to Make Armenian Perok Cake?

Ingredients

3 egg yolks
4 egg whites
100 grams butter
160 grams yogurt
150 grams sugar
200 grams flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon brewed saffron

Direction

Step One

To prepare this delicious Armenian Christmas Cake, take out all the ingredients from the refrigerator 30 minutes before. Then, put them in the kitchen area and let the ingredients adjust to room temperature.

Step Two

Now, put the sugar and butter in a suitable bowl and stir with a mixer for 4 minutes until the butter mixture becomes thick and creamy. Next, separate the egg yolk from the white.

Step Three

Add egg yolks to the butter mixture, and stir for 30 seconds. With the last egg, add vanilla, then continue to mix until the ingredients are combined and uniform.

Step Four

Now, add the egg white in a separate bowl and stir with the mixer until the egg white is creamy. Add to the butter mixture and stir until the ingredients are well mixed.

Step Five

Stir the yogurt with a fork until it is completely diluted, then add it to the butter mixture along with the baking powder and stir the ingredients. Next, sieve the flour 3 times.

Step Six

Now, add the flour to the butter mixture slowly. Then, knead and stop adding the flour when a soft dough that does not stick to the hands is obtained. Next, knead the dough with our fingertips until it gathers.

Step Seven

Remove 2 cups of the empty head from the dough, then put the rest of the dough in a greased mold. Next, set the oven to 180 degrees Celsius, and let it heat up completely.

Step Eight

Now, place the mold on the middle floor, then let the dough stay in the oven for 20 minutes until the top closes. In the meantime, add some flour to the remaining dough, then knead it with your fingertips until you have a soft dough.

Step Nine

Put the dough on the work surface, then draw a net on the dough with a rolling pin to make a pattern. Next, after 20 minutes, we take the mold out of the oven, then let it cool down a bit.

Step Ten

Now, spread the top of the cake with the marmalade of our choice, then place the dough in the shape of a net on it. Mix the egg yolk with the brewed saffron, then apply it with a brush on the net-shaped dough.

Step Eleven

Put the mold back in the oven and let the cake stay in the oven for 30 minutes until it is completely cooked. After 30 minutes, remove the mold from the oven, then let the cake cool completely.

How to Serve Perok?

Finally, when the cake is completely cooled, take it out of the mold, and cut it to the desired size and shape. In the end, put the slices of sweets in the dish, serve it with tea and enjoy your Perok.

FAQs about Armenian Christmas Pastry

What is the Armenian Christmas pastry?

There are two popular Armenian pastries for Christmas; Gata bread and Perok cake as Armenian desserts.

Where can I find Armenian Christmas pastries in the US?

Fortunately, there are plenty of shops in the US that serve up traditional Armenian Christmas pastries. From bakeries specializing in sweet baklava to online stores offering homemade goodies made from authentic recipes, there’s a wide selection available for those looking for something festive.