Vasilopita：带来好运的希腊新年蛋糕

最喜庆的烘焙季节即将到来，希腊的大多数家庭和侨民都开始准备瓦西洛皮塔（vasilopita），这是希腊除夕夜的好运蛋糕。

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.

节日烘焙季即将到来，希腊的大多数家庭和侨民都在准备瓦西洛皮塔（vasilopita），这是希腊除夕夜的好运蛋糕。

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.

这种甜甜的、通常像面包一样的蛋糕只为新年庆祝活动而制作，这种蛋糕的食谱根据希腊地区的不同而有所不同。 Vasilopita 有两种主要食谱，一种是 tsoureki 式烘焙，起源于小亚细亚，另一种是香草/柠檬蛋糕（配方各不相同），撒上细砂糖和肉桂或可可，在中部地区更常见希腊。

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.

这款蛋糕是献给圣巴西尔（瓦西里）的，希腊东正教版的圣诞老人，蛋糕是用隐藏的硬币烘烤的，这意味着给最终吃掉硬币的人带来财富、爱和健康。

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，将小饰品放入面团中。在大多数家庭中，切蛋糕时都会进行新年祈祷。然后，蛋糕会被切成片，送给每位家庭成员和客人，接受者按照从最年长到最年轻的顺序排队。在每个人都收到自己的部分之前，任何人都不允许挖掘自己的部分。一家之主通常在午夜钟声敲响时在瓦西洛皮塔上切一个十字架，然后为神和每个在场的人切一片。第一件作品献给基督，第二件献给圣母玛利亚，第三件献给房子或圣巴西尔。据说，谁把硬币放进自己的切片里，就会在接下来的 12 个月里带来好运。

Why a coin?

为什么是硬币？

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.

圣巴西尔于公元330年出生于卡帕多西亚凯撒利亚的一个富裕家庭。他继续在君士坦丁堡学习神学，并在凯撒利亚郊外建造了巴西利亚教堂，并成为该教堂的主教。他的慈善本性促使他将财富分配给穷人。

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，这座城市遭到了围攻。由于没有财富可以交给敌人作为赎金，圣巴兹尔不得不呼吁社区提供帮助。他们抓住了这个机会，交出了他们拥有的任何有价值的东西，包括黄金和珠宝。敌人被他们的慷慨所感动，撤回了威胁。

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.

一旦宝物全部混在一起，就很难知道每件黄金和珠宝的所有者是谁。因此，为了公平起见，圣巴兹尔要求他的执事们烘烤小面包，并在每个面包的中心放一块宝藏。奇迹般的是，接受者每个人最终都得到了本该属于他们的宝藏。

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.

从那时起，这一传统不断发展，将一枚硬币放在中心的宝藏传遍了希腊侨民，以及许多与圣瓦西里无关的巴尔干和东欧国家。

Cake style Vasilopita

瓦西洛皮塔蛋糕风格

Ingredients:

原料：

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

3/4 杯 无盐黄油（留一些给锅上油）

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

3杯通用面粉（在倒入面糊之前先在锅上撒上一些面粉）

2 cups granulated sugar

2杯砂糖

6 large eggs

6个大鸡蛋

3 1/2 tablespoons brandy

3 1/2 汤匙 白兰地

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1茶匙香草精

1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons finely grated orange zest

1 汤匙加 1½ 茶匙细碎的橙皮碎

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

1 1/2 茶匙 磨碎的柠檬皮

3 teaspoons baking powder

3茶匙泡打粉

1 cup orange juice

1杯橙汁

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

装饰用可可粉、椰子片和糖粉，供食用（可选）

Method:

方法：

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

1. 使用风扇或双电阻（顶部和底部）将烤箱打开至 180°C。

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

2. 在10英寸的圆形蛋糕盘上涂上黄油，然后撒上面粉，然后在底部铺上羊皮纸。

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.如果有电动搅拌机的话，可以用高速搅拌，也可以用打蛋器用手将黄油和砂糖分别搅拌10分钟或15分钟。混合之前确保黄油处于室温且柔软，以避免结块。搅拌直至混合物看起来柔软蓬松，并且颜色看起来比黄油更浅。

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，开始一次一个地加入鸡蛋，使面糊膨胀。在添加下一个鸡蛋之前，确保每个鸡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. 鸡蛋打完后，加入白兰地和香草，然后加入橙皮碎和柠檬皮碎，直到所有东西混合在一起。

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

6. 在另一个碗中搅拌面粉和泡打粉，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.开始倒入橙汁，慢慢混合原来的面糊，中间休息一下，逐渐加入面粉混合物。

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

8. 感觉面糊均匀后，将其倒入锅中。

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. 用箔纸包裹一枚硬币，然后将其放入面糊中，确保在烘烤之前用抹刀将平底锅顶部弄平。

10. Bake for 60 minutes.

10.烘烤60分钟。

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

11. 用牙签或测试仪穿过蛋糕体查看