Slovenia's sweet side: kremšnita, potica and gibanica
Three desserts worth planning a day around, and where to eat them.
Slovenians take dessert seriously. Every region has its own cake, every grandmother has her own recipe, and nobody agrees whose is best. Here are the three you shouldn't leave without trying.
Kremšnita: the cake of Bled
A tall cube of vanilla custard and whipped cream between two thin layers of puff pastry. A chef at Bled's Park Hotel first served it in 1953, adapting a recipe from his home region. Almost 12 million were sold in its first 61 years.
Tomke's tip: have one by the lake, early, then leave Bled to the crowds and come explore somewhere quieter.
Potica: the holiday swirl
A rolled yeast cake with a spiral filling, baked for Easter, Christmas and any family celebration. Walnut is the classic, but you'll also find tarragon, poppy seed, honey or cottage cheese. Making one properly takes half a day and a lot of patience.
Tomke's tip: tarragon potica sounds strange and tastes wonderful. Buy a slice at a farm or village bakery rather than a souvenir shop.
Prekmurska gibanica: four layers of happy
From Prekmurje in the far northeast: thin pastry layered with poppy seed, cottage cheese, walnut and apple, repeated and soaked in butter and cream. It's protected at EU level as a traditional speciality, so the recipe has rules.
Tomke's tip: eat it in Prekmurje itself, after a walk along the Mura river. It's a lot of cake, so share.
Honourable mentions
- Štruklji: rolled dumplings, sweet or savoury, often with cottage cheese.
- Gingerbread hearts from Radovljica, decorated by hand since the 18th century.
- Honey, straight from one of Slovenia's 10,000 beekeepers.