Pirozhnoe "Kartoshka" are delightful Russian pastries shaped like potatoes. Made with cake crumbs, buttercream, and chocolate, they’re both delicious and uniqueIn Russia, these pastries, Pirozhnoe "Kartoshka", are very well known. They are translated literally as Potato Pastry, since they are made into the shape of potatoes. They are sold in almost every pastry shop in Russia and Belarus.
When my husband worked in a pastry shop in Belarus for his practice after pastry school, he was so surprised to find out the method of making these popular pastries. They speak of the frugality of our culture:) These pastries were usually available in the afternoon. After preparing all the different kinds of cookies, pastries, yeast breads, etc. they would take all the leftovers, scraps and the pieces they cut off and grind them up into crumbs. One of the interns would sit and scrape the scraps through a large screen, making a huge mound of crumbs. Then they would combine it will all with the leftover frostings, icings and fillings, add some cocoa and form them into the shape of potatoes. For the finishing touch, they would add a few nuts to look like sprouts and place them in the display case with all the other masterpieces:) What a delightful story, huh? I'm not sure how they do it now, but 10-15 years ago, it was a great way to use up every last bit of inventory and still come up with a popular item on the menu. They sold like hotcakes!
Ingredients
- sponge cake
- butter
- sweetened condensed milk
- melted chocolate (you can also use cocoa powder)
The complete list of ingredients and their exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Pirozhnoe Kartoshka
Start by baking a Sponge Cake. You will need two (9-10 inch) round cakes or 1 large rectangular one. Cut or tear the sponge cake into pieces. Pulse it in the food processor to make crumbs. Spread the crumbs on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, stirring halfway throughout the baking. Cool the crumbs. Meanwhile, cream the butter in a large bowl with a paddle attachment on a standing mixer or using a hand mixer until it's light a fluffy. Add the condensed milk and continue mixing until evenly distributed. Add the melted chocolate (I melt the chocolate over a double boiler), salt, vanilla and liqueur. Mix to combine. Mix the frosting with the sponge cake crumbs. You can use the standing mixer or a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Form the mixture into the shape of a potato and add a few "sprouts" by using walnuts. I prefer making these into simple round balls and garnishing with some toasted ground nuts. If you're shaping them into the traditional shape, you will need to use about 3 Tablespoons of the mixture for each one, or 1 heaping Tablespoon for the smaller round balls. I guess mine are baby new potatoes:)
Pirozhnoe Kartoshka
Ingredients
- 2 9-10 inch round sponge cakes
- ¾ cup (6 oz) butter, softened
- ½ -¾ can condensed milk
- 3-4 oz bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 Tablespoon chocolate or hazelnut liqueur optional
Instructions
- Bake the sponge cakes. Cool.
- Cut or tear the sponge cake into pieces and pulse in the food processor to make crumbs.
- Spread the crumbs on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through baking. Cool.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting. Cream the butter in a large bowl with a paddle attachment on a standing mixer or using a hand mixer until it's light a fluffy.
- Add the condensed milk and continue mixing until evenly distributed.
- Add the melted chocolate (I melt the chocolate over a double boiler), salt, vanilla and liqueur. Mix to combine.
- Mix the frosting with the sponge cake crumbs. You can use the standing mixer or a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
- Form the mixture into the shape of a potato and add a few "sprouts" by using walnuts. I prefer making these into simple round balls and garnishing with some toasted ground nuts. If you're shaping them into the traditional shape, you will need to use about 3 Tablespoons of the mixture for each one, or 1 heaping Tablespoon for the smaller round balls.
I agree with you- these are just cake pops in another format and an INGENIOUS way to use perfectly good offcuts from other bakery treats.
Anyone who is commenting "gross" should never eat in a restaurant, or at their grandma's house, for that matter! 🙂 Both places cleverly use scraps to make delicious soup, stir-fry, casserole or other dishes.
i'm from Australia and have had your recipes recommended to me. what weight is a stick of butter? our butter is sold in tubs
In the U.S., butter is sold in 1 pound packages, divided into 4 sticks of 4 oz each.. Although be careful, I am not even sure if your ounces are the same as ours! In US recipes, this is often described as 1/2 cup of butter. My package says it is 453 grams per pound, so it works out to 114 grams for a stick of butter. Hope this helps!
Hello there!
Thanks for the recipe. I was super excited to try making these. Unfortunately while I was melting the chocolate it completely dried up. Could it have been because I add the liquor during the process? Do you add the liquor after you are done melting the chocolate?
I added the liqueur after melting the chocolate. Adding the liqueur too soon can cause it to seize up. I'm so sorry it didn't work out for you.
I am so happy to have found your blog! I am lucky and live in Brighton Beach Brooklyn where I buy these almost every week, but was trying to find a recipe to send my daughter's! I knew in my heart this was made with leftovers! And I was right.. One of my favorites ever, and has been since I discovered them by mistake. Thanks for the history and the great recipe.
That is such a sweet idea to send some homemade goodies to your daughter, Kathy. I'm glad this recipe was useful for you.
hi, how far in advance can you make these, like for party, for them to still be good?
You can make them several days in advance, Anna.
Hi Olga,
I really want to try making these but I don't have round cake forms for the sponge cake. Can I just use my 9x13 glass dish to bake the sponge cake? If so, does the baking time stay the same as with the round cakes or a bit longer?
Thanks.
Yes, you can use the 9x13 inch baking dish, although I've never done it there myself, so I don't know how much time it will take. Just bake it until the top of the cake springs bake when you touch it lightly, or use a toothpick to test for doneness.
These are amazing and super easy. I think I might have used a little less sponge cake then called for but they still turned out great. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
I'm glad you enjoyed them, Tanya:).