Dessert📍 MoldovaDifficult🥗 Vegetarian🐟 Pescatarian💪 High-protein🥦 Clean eating

Moldovan Walnut Roll (Învârtită)

Name: Moldovan Walnut Roll (Învârtită)
Prep time: 2 h 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Romanian
Ingredients: 500 g all-purpose flour type 550 (plus extra for rolling); 200 ml warm milk; 80 ml lukewarm water; 25 g fresh yeast (or 7 g dry yeast); 2 tbsp sugar; 1 tsp salt; 2 eggs; 60 ml sunflower oil; 300 g ground walnut kernels; 150 g sugar; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 sachet vanilla sugar; grated zest of 1 lemon (optional); 3–4 tbsp warm milk or water (to bind the filling slightly if too dry); 100 g lard or melted butter (for brushing the sheets — gives the characteristic flakiness); 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp milk (for brushing the surface); icing sugar for dusting (optional, after baking)

Moldovan walnut roll (învârtită) is a traditional dessert with a unique architecture: thin leavened dough sheets brushed with lard or butter, sprinkled with sweetened ground walnut and cinnamon, rolled into spirals and arranged in a tin. During baking the layers separate gently, creating a layered, tender texture that is slightly crispy on the outside. It is Moldova's festive pastry.

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Servings

⏱️

Prep

45 min + 2 h dospit

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Cook

45 min

⏰

Total

3 h 30 min

🥘Ingredients

servings

Leavened Dough

Walnut Filling

For brushing the dough

For finishing

📝Preparation steps 🗓️Add to Meal Planner🎨Serving & Presentation

✅Dietary Compatibility

🥗Vegetarian🐟Pescatarian💪High-protein🥦Clean eating

🍽️

Yield

1 large tin (approx. 10 servings)

📦Storage

❄️

Refrigerator

Up to 3 days, wrapped or in a sealed container. Reheat for 5 minutes in the oven at 160°C to restore flakiness.

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Freezer

Can be frozen after baking and fully cooling, sliced, for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or reheat in the oven.

🥗Nutrition Facts

Approximate values per serving (1/10 of the recipe)

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Calories

420 kcal

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Protein

8 g

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Fat

23 g

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Carbohydrates

47 g

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Fiber

2 g

🍷Pairs Well With

🥂Linden or mint tea

🥂Black coffee

🥂Warm milk

🥂Sour cherry or cherry compote

🥂Lightly sweetened sour cream (richer option)

💡Variations

Poppy seed roll: replace the walnut with ground poppy seeds cooked with sugar and milk — an equally traditional Moldovan dessert.

Sour cherry roll: add well-drained compote sour cherries over the walnut filling for a contrasting tartness.

Honey version: replace the sugar in the filling with acacia honey for a more delicate floral aroma.