Feasting time inherently belongs to the South Bohemian countryside. It is a time when farmers have already harvested their crops and can relax in peace after a whole year’s hard work. A typical sweet pastry which farmers’ wives prepare for feasts is called “mětýnky”, “mětánky” or “hnětýnky”. These look like small cakes or flat cakes, usually covered with icing and often richly decorated. Some of them are literally works of art. In many villages in South Bohemia, exhibitions and competitions for the most beautiful South Bohemian “mětýnky” or “hnětýnky” are held.
We need:
For the dough: 250 g butter, 250 g sugar, 300 g semi-coarse flour, 6 eggs, a vanilla pod or a pack of vanilla sugar, 2 tbls Tuzemák from Jindřichův Hradec (flavoured alcoholic beverage), lemon zest, 1 tsp baking powder.
For the icing: 200 g icing sugar, 1 tbls hot water, 3 tbls Tuzemák from Jindřichův Hradec.
For decoration: blooms, doves, hearts and various pearls, etc. You can also use almonds or butter cream.
Method:
Whisk butter at room temperature with sugar, vanilla and egg yolks. You must get a smooth and fluffy consistency. If you use an electric machine, it will make the job easier. After that add Tuzemák and lemon zest and mix. Sieve flour along with the baking powder. Carefully but thoroughly add it into the whisked butter. Finally, add whipped egg whites. Fill up the forms with the batter up to one half, after you have greased them with butter and dusted with coarse flour. When baking, the batter will equally spill out and will raise a bit. It is baked in the pre-heated oven at 150 °C for about half an hour. An “Hnětýnka” should look light, but it must be baked inside. Take them out of the forms when they are hot. After cooling, coat the upper side with icing. Icing is prepared by whisking all the aforementioned ingredients. You can also use melted chocolate. Decorate it according to your wish. It is optimal to leave “hnětýnky” to rest for one day in the cool. Decorations can be purchased from the website www.cukroveozdoby.cz (Regional products of the tourist area of Prácheňsko).