Authentic Lumblija Recipe Blato, Croatia

Add the anise to a small bowl of hot water, then season with salt. Also, add the raisins to the varenik and leave them to soak in the liquid.

Toast the almonds and the walnuts in a pan in batches. Arrange the nuts in the pan in a single layer and toast over medium heat for 5-7 minutes taking care they do not burn. Once golden and nutty, remove from the pan. Leave the nuts to cool completely, then roughly chop them.

Crumble the yeast into a small bowl of warm water, then stir to dissolve and leave to activate.

Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl, then mix them. Once the yeast has activated, add it to the dry ingredients and knead until combined. Then, add the raisins and varenik, the anise with water and salt, the rose liqueur, the butter, the lard, and the olive oil. Also, if needed, add a bit of lukewarm water. Knead until you get a smooth, elastic dough that’s medium-hard. The dough needs to be kneaded for a long time.

Cover the bowl with a moist cloth and leave to rise until doubled in volume.

Divide the dough into 4-5 pieces and shape each piece into a round loaf. Arrange the loaves onto a greased baking tray, then cover with a moist cloth and let rise until doubled in size.

Bake in a 175°C/350°F oven for 45 minutes.

Once baked, remove from the oven and transfer on a wire rack or a plate to cool a bit — the lumblija breads should not cool completely, but cool until warm.

Glaze the lumblija breads with varenik, then sprinkle with sugar.