Kūčiukai (šližikai, prėskutė), also called Christmas cakes, are a traditional Lithuanian dish served on Kūčios, the traditional Lithuanian Christmas Eve dinner. They are small, slightly sweet pastries made from leavened dough and poppy seeds. They vary in sweetness and are usually eaten dry but can be served soaked in poppy milk or with cranberry kissel.
History
The ancient dish Kūčia was made from wheat, beans, peas, barley, poppies and seasoned with honey. In Aukštaitija, for some time, Kūčia was called porridge of coarse barley groats, eaten with poppies and tossing - honey-sweetened water.[1] In Panevėžys region at the beginning of the 20th century, Kūčia was made from a mixture of wheat and peas flavored with water sweetened with poppies and honey. A common feature of the various Christmas variants was that the dish was made from whole or slightly crushed cereals, groats and flavored with honey, poppy seeds or hemp. After the First World War, small poppy seed buns were started to bake in Lithuania, which is called Kūčiukai. In Dzūkija, a flatbread was baked, which the family later broke and soaked in poppy milk.[2] In Suvalkija, the buns were larger than they are now and elongated.
Small round wheat flour with yeast has acquired the common name for Kūčiukai (Christmas cakes) relatively recently.[3]
Kūčiukai also can be used for games,[4] guesses, spells and gifts on a Christmas Eves magical night. According to ancient customs, housewives should bake Kūčiukai on the Christmas Eve day.[5]
In some places, Kūčiukai were baked not only from wheat, but also from barley or buckwheat flour.
