When I was growing up and a holiday would roll around, or there was a celebration of some kind, us kids would be very excited, not only for a chance to play with our cousins and friends but also to eat as many sweets as possible. At these gatherings, grandmas and aunts would shove delicious things in our hands (and mouths) and our parents looked the other way for the night. Oh, the memories! One of my favorite sweets was and still is Oblanda sa Orasima, a super traditional and old recipe.
Oblanda, or Oblatna, depending on where you’re from, is well known throughout the Balkans. Wafer sheets are stacked on top of one each other with delicious, sweet, creamy filling sandwiched between the layers. While there are hundreds of variations of Oblanda, the most well known and traditional is with walnuts. This is prepared by cooking down milk and sugar until it’s very thick and takes on a caramel color, almost like condensed milk if you will. Then ground walnuts are added.
This recipe does take about 2 – 2 1/2 hours to make, but it yields plenty of cookies and it’s a perfect dessert for a party or get together. I guarantee they will all be gone by the end of the night.
In general, Balkan cuisine, especially Serbian takes time. There really isn’t a way around it. Some recipes are quick and simple, but the majority take more time than Western-style meals because there are many components to each dish. While it may sound daunting to you if you don’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen, the result is truly worth it.
Don’t have that much time but still need a yummy dessert recipe? Check out my dessert section!
Oblanda sa Orasima / Walnut Wafer Cookies
Course: DessertCuisine: Balkan, Serbian10
servings10
minutes2
hours30
minutesOld-fashioned wafer cookie recipe using only a few simple ingredients. Well worth the wait!
Ingredients
1 pack Oblanda/Oblatna wafer sheets (150 g)
8 1/2 cups (2 L) milk (2% or whole milk)
4 cups (800 g) granulated sugar
2.5 cups (200 g) ground walnuts
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar (1 packet)
Directions
- In a large stockpot, pour in the milk and sugar and stir until the sugar almost completely dissolves. Do this off the heat.
- Once almost all of the sugar has dissolved, place the pot over medium-high heat, uncovered, and bring the milk to a boil, being very careful that the milk does not boil over.
- When the milk comes to a boil, stir and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking the milk and sugar for about 2 – 2 1/2 hours, uncovered, stirring every time you see the milk rising in the pot. The liquid will reduce considerably.
While you don’t have to continuously stir, you must keep an eye on the pot so the milk does not boil over. You will notice over time, the milk will go from white to slightly brown, and then onto a light caramel color.
I cannot stress enough how important it is that you prevent the milk and sugar from boiling over. It can be extremely hard to clean. - When the milk has thickened and turned a light caramel color, remove the pot from the heat and stir for 2 minutes to help the mixture cool slightly. You only want it to be slightly cooler, not room temperature. If it cools down too much, it will start to set and you won’t be able to spread it.
- After the mixture has slightly cooled, but still hot and liquid, add in the ground walnuts and vanilla sugar. Stir to combine.
- On a flat surface, lay down one wafer sheet, flat side down. Using a ladle, spoon 2-3 ladles of the filling on top of the wafer sheet. Spread the filling evenly across the wafer ensuring the entire surface of the wafer is covered. Place another wafer sheet on top and repeat the process until you have used up all the wafer sheets. Do not put any filling on top of the last wafer as this will serve as the top of the cookie.
- Use a spoon or offset spatula to smooth the sides using any filling that may have spilled out.
- Place a piece of foil on top of the wafer stack and place a baking sheet on top to serve as a weight.
- Leave the Oblanda in a cool area to set completely.
I usually leave mine out on the kitchen table and open a window if it’s cool outside. If making in the summer, you may need to place it in the fridge. - When set, slice the wafer into strips vertically and then into smaller pieces horizontally. Store leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature or if especially warm in the fridge.
Notes
- You can use another nut instead of walnuts like hazelnuts or almonds if you prefer, but walnut is the most traditional.
- Once the walnuts are added you may be tempted to eat the filling by the spoonful because it’s so delicious. But beware, eating a lot of the filling while it’s hot will have you spending a lot of time in the bathroom.
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