The history of the Anke pie of the Tolstoy family and the recipe from Dr Nikolay Anke
As Far as I Know, This Cake Was Once Served to Putin at Yasnaya Polyana.
The Anke pie is a celebrated dish of the Tolstoy family, served at the museum on special occasions. I was lucky enough to try it, and the pie was to my taste, so I am sharing its history.
The recipe came into Tolstoy's house from the family doctor Nikolai Anke, hence the name "Anke pie". Of course, Sofya Andreyevna did not cook it herself, for that there was a cook, but the pie became a festive family tradition.
The recipe is as follows: a pound of flour, 0.5 lb. of butter, 0.25 lb. of crushed sugar, 3 egg yolks, a wineglass of water, for the dough. For the filling, cream 0.25 lb. of butter, rub 2 eggs with the butter; 0.25 lb. of crushed sugar, grate the zest of 2 lemons and add the juice of 3 lemons, and boil until thick, like honey.
It is known that Lev Nikolayevich, a vegetarian and an ascetic, did not care for the treat, unlike his wife, and this is confirmed by his words: "what is stronger than death and fate is the sweet Anke pie". What is more, he took to calling the Anke pie the wearisome attempts at contrived family happiness.
