Vasilopita：帶來好運的希臘新年蛋糕

最喜慶的烘焙季節即將到來，希臘的大多數家庭和僑民都開始準備瓦西洛皮塔（vasilopita），這是希臘除夕夜的好運蛋糕。

The festive baking season is upon us, with most homes in Greece and the diaspora preparing their vasilopita, the Greek good luck cake for New Years Eve.

節日烘焙季節即將到來，希臘的大多數家庭和僑民都在準備瓦西洛皮塔（vasilopita），這是希臘除夕夜的好運蛋糕。

The sweet, often bread-like cake is only made for the new year celebrations and recipes for this cake differ depending on the region of Greece one is from. There are two dominant recipes for Vasilopita, one being a tsoureki-style bake with its origins in Asia Minor and the other a vanilla/lemon like cake (the recipe varies) sprinkled with with caster sugar and cinnamon or cacao, more commonly seen in Central Greece.

這種甜甜的、通常像麵包一樣的蛋糕只為新年慶祝活動而製作，這種蛋糕的食譜根據希臘地區的不同而有所不同。 Vasilopita 有兩種主要食譜，一種是 tsoureki 式烘焙，起源於小亞細亞，另一種是香草/檸檬蛋糕（配方各不相同），撒上細砂糖和肉桂或可可，在中部地區更常見希臘。

Dedicated to St. Basil (Vasili), Greek Orthodox Church’s version of Santa Claus, the cake is baked with a hidden coin, that is meant to bring fortune, love and health to the person that ends up eating the piece the coin landed in.

這款蛋糕是獻給聖巴西爾（瓦西里）的，希臘東正教版的聖誕老人，蛋糕是用隱藏的硬幣烘烤的，這意味著給最終吃掉硬幣的人帶來財富、愛和健康。

Before baking, the trinket is put into the dough. In most homes, a new year’s prayer is shared when the cake is being cut. The cake is then split into slices for each family member and guest, with the recipients queuing up from oldest to youngest. Until everyone has received their piece, no one is allowed to dig into their own slice. The head of the household cuts a cross into the vasilopita, usually when the clock strikes midnight, and then proceeds to cut a slice for the divine and each person present. The first piece is dedicated to Christ, the second to the Virgin Mary, and the third to the house or St. Basil. The one who gets the coin in their slice, is said to have good luck brought upon them for the next 12 months.

烘烤前，將小飾品放入麵團中。在大多數家庭中，切蛋糕時都會進行新年祈禱。然後，蛋糕會被切成片，送給每位家庭成員和客人，接受者按照從大到小的順序排隊。在每個人都收到自己的部分之前，任何人都不允許挖掘自己的部分。一家之主通常在午夜鐘聲敲響時在瓦西洛皮塔上切一個十字架，然後為神和每個在場的人切一片。第一件作品獻給基督，第二件獻給聖母瑪利亞，第三件獻給房子或聖巴西爾。據說，誰把硬幣放進自己的切片裡，就會在接下來的 12 個月帶來好運。

Why a coin?

為什麼是硬幣？

Born in Caesarea, Cappadocia in 330 AD, St Basil was born into a wealthy family. He went on to study theology in Constantinople, and built the Basiliad church outside Caesarea of which he became Bishop. His philanthropic nature, led him to distribute his wealth among the poor.

聖巴西爾於西元330年出生於卡帕多西亞凱撒利亞的一個富裕家庭。他繼續在君士坦丁堡學習神學，並在凱撒利亞郊外建造了巴西利亞教堂，並成為該教堂的主教。他的慈善本性促使他將財富分配給窮人。

One day however, a siege was brought upon the city. With no wealth to hand over to the enemy as ransom, St Basil had to call upon the community for their help. They jumped at the chance, handing over anything of value they had, including gold and jewels. The enemy was so touched by their generosity, he withdrew his threats.

然而有一天，這座城市遭到了圍攻。由於沒有財富可以交給敵人作為贖金，聖巴茲爾不得不呼籲社區提供幫助。他們抓住了這個機會，交出了他們擁有的任何有價值的東西，包括黃金和珠寶。敵人被他們的慷慨所感動，撤回了威脅。

Once the treasures had all been mixed, it was difficult to know who owned each piece of gold and jewels. So to make it fair, St Basil requested that his deacons bake small loaves of bread, placing a piece of treasure at the centre of each. Miraculously, the recipients each ended up with the treasures that were rightfully theirs.

一旦寶物全部混在一起，就很難知道每件黃金和珠寶的所有者是誰。因此，為了公平起見，聖巴茲爾要求他的執事們烘烤小麵包，並在每個麵包的中心放一塊寶藏。奇蹟般的是，接受者每個人最終都得到了本該屬於他們的寶藏。

Since then the tradition has evolved, with the treasure a coin placed in the centre followed across the Greek diaspora, and in many Balkan and Eastern European countries where it is not associated with St Basil.

從那時起，這項傳統就不斷發展，將一枚硬幣放在中心的寶藏傳遍了希臘僑民，以及許多與聖瓦西里無關的巴爾幹半島和東歐國家。

Cake style Vasilopita

瓦西洛皮塔蛋糕風格

Ingredients:

原料：

3/4 cup unsalted butter, (save some to oil the pan with)

3/4 杯 無鹽奶油（留一些給鍋子上油）

3 cups all-purpose flour, (set some aside to dust the pan with before pouring the batter in)

3杯通用麵粉（在倒入麵糊之前先在鍋上撒上一些麵粉）

2 cups granulated sugar

2杯砂糖

6 large eggs

6個大雞蛋

3 1/2 tablespoons brandy

3 1/2 湯匙 白蘭地

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1茶匙香草精

1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons finely grated orange zest

1 湯匙加 1½ 茶匙細碎的橙皮碎

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

1 1/2 茶匙 磨碎的檸檬皮

3 teaspoons baking powder

3茶匙泡打粉

1 cup orange juice

1杯柳橙汁

Cacao powder for decorating, coconut flakes & icing sugar, for serving (optional)

裝飾用可可粉、椰子片和糖粉，供食用（可選）

Method:

方法：

1. Turn on the oven to 180°C on fan or double resistance (top & bottom).

1. 使用風扇或雙電阻（頂部和底部）將烤箱打開至 180°C。

2. Butter and then sprinkle with flour a 10-inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment.

2. 在10吋的圓形蛋糕盤上塗上奶油，然後撒上麵粉，然後在底部鋪上羊皮紙。

3. You can either use an electric mixer on high speed if you have one or use a beater to hand beat the butter with the granulated sugar for 10 or 15 minutes respectively. Make sure that the butter is in room temperature and soft before mixing it to avoid clumping. Beat until the mix looks soft and fluffy and looks paler than the butter in colour.

3.如果有電動攪拌機的話，可以用高速攪拌，也可以用打蛋器用手將奶油和砂糖分別攪拌10分鐘或15分鐘。混合前確保黃油處於室溫且柔軟，以避免結塊。攪拌直至混合物看起來柔軟蓬鬆，並且顏色看起來比黃油更淺。

4. Lowering the speed by a little start adding the eggs one at a time so that the batter rises. Make sure each egg is fully incorporating into the mixture before adding the next.

4. 稍微降低速度，開始一次一個地加入雞蛋，使麵糊膨脹。在添加下一個雞蛋之前，請確保每個雞蛋都完全融入混合物中。

5. Once you are done with the eggs add the brandy and vanilla followed by the orange zest and lemon zest until everything is combined.

5. 雞蛋打完後，加入白蘭地和香草，然後加入橙皮碎和檸檬皮碎，直到所有東西混合在一起。

6. In a separate bowl stir the flour and baking powder to combine.

6. 在另一個碗中攪拌麵粉和泡打粉，使其混合。

7. Start poring in the orange juice with mixing the original batter slowly taking breaks to also add the flour mixture gradually.

7.開始倒入柳橙汁，慢慢混合原來的麵糊，中間休息一下，逐漸加入麵粉混合物。

8. Once the batter feels homogenised pour it in the pan.

8. 感覺麵糊均勻後，將其倒入鍋中。

9. Wrap a coin in foil and drop it into the batter making sure the top of the pan is smoothed out with a spatula before you bake it.

9. 用箔紙包裹一枚硬幣，然後將其放入麵糊中，確保在烘烤之前用抹刀將平底鍋頂部弄平。

10. Bake for 60 minutes.

10.烘烤60分鐘。

11. Stick a toothpick or tester through the body of the cake to see

11. 用牙籤或測試器穿過蛋糕體查看