VASILOPITA - RECIPE FROM MY GRANDMA FROM LERIN

Every year before New Year, my grandma from Lerin prepares vasilopita for us. And she always puts 1 euro coin inside. In anticipation of the incoming winter holidays, I wanna share with you her recipe for Vasilopita - famous Balkan New Year's cake, mostly prepared in Greece. Vasilopita means "Saint Vasilij's cake (St.Basil)." Vasilopita is baked with a coin inside, so it is believed that the one who gets the coin will have luck in that year. Cutting the cake is very important and brings fun at home and in the workplace of various companies. Receiving the coin is accompanied with a gift, usually a small amulet for happiness. Most families in Macedonia prepare maznik with coin on St.Vasilij's day, which we celebrate on 14th of January (old calendar), but many families prepare the Vasilopita for the New Year's day.

Ingredients:

• 5 cups flour
• 7 eggs
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 kg lard
• 2 packs baking powder (20 g)
• 1 pack vanilla sugar (10 g)
• 1 cup crushed nuts (walnuts or hazelnuts)
• grind lemon zest
• 1 cup cognac

***cup size 200 ml Preparation:

1. Whisk eggs and sugar. 
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
3. Put to bake in a circular pan size 35 coated with baking paper at 180 C degrees for less than an hour.
4. Let the pie cool down, then insert a coin wrapped in aluminum foil inside the cake.
5. Place the vasilopita on a serving plate and sprinkle with icing sugar all over.
6. Enjoy!